Can You Trust ChatGPT? Use the Right Kind of Trust

ChatGPT can be useful for drafts and structure, but important facts and decisions need independent checks.

Trust ChatGPT as a drafting and thinking aid, not as an unquestioned authority. The more a response affects health, money, rights, safety, reputation, or other people, the more independent verification it needs.

Reliability changes by task. Reformatting text you supplied is easier to inspect than answering a factual question about an unfamiliar topic.

Match your checking effort to the consequence of being wrong. Sometimes a quick read is enough; sometimes you need primary sources or a professional.

Different tasks, different checks

Weak: Use the same level of trust for a party invitation and a medication question.

Improved: Proofread the invitation yourself. For medication, use official guidance and a qualified clinician rather than relying on the chat response.

Risk, not convenience, determines the review process.

Common mistakes

• Treating all tasks as equally risky
• Using polished language as evidence
• Outsourcing judgment to the tool