Opinion: avoid these common mistakes when using AI

AIs like ChatGPT are very convenient.

You can ask questions about things you don't understand, create text, and organize your thoughts.

On the other hand, precisely because they are convenient, there are things you should be careful about when using them.

This time, I will summarize the "things you should not do" that I want beginners to AI to know.

It is not a difficult topic.

Just knowing this from the start will allow you to use AI with more peace of mind.

1. Do not assume that AI answers are "absolutely correct"

This is the most important thing.

AI answers in very natural sentences.

Because of this,

"Since it answered in such detail, it must be correct"

is something you might think.

However, AI can make mistakes.

Moreover, it may explain incorrect information in a plausible way.

Therefore,

AI answers do not equal guaranteed correct information

You should verify information provided by AI with other sources when necessary.

2. Do not make decisions about illnesses or medication based solely on AI

Asking AI about health is not inherently bad.

For example,

If you use it to "learn the basics about this illness,"

it can be a starting point for gaining knowledge.

However,

"Is it okay to stop taking this medicine?"

"Do I not need to go to the hospital for these symptoms?"

You should avoid making important decisions like these based solely on AI.

When making important decisions about your health or medication, please consult a professional such as a doctor or pharmacist.

It is safer to think of AI as a tool for organizing information to discuss with a professional.

3. Do not make financial decisions based solely on AI

The same applies to money.

For example,

"Should I make this investment?"

"Should I buy this financial product?"

"How should I manage my money for retirement?"

These are examples.

You can ask AI for general information.

However, you should avoid making important decisions regarding your own money based solely on AI responses.

If necessary, please also check with financial institutions or experts.

4. Do not enter personal information carelessly

When consulting with AI,

you might think that "providing detailed information about yourself will result in better answers."

However, please handle personal information with caution.

For example,

things like

• passwords
• credit card numbers
• sensitive bank account information
• My Number (social security number)
• other people's personal information

Make it a habit not to enter more personal information than necessary.

It is safer to pause and ask yourself,

"Is this information really necessary?" before entering it.

5. Do not send text created by AI to others as-is

AI can also write emails, letters, and other documents for you.

It is very convenient, isn't it?

However, I do not recommend sending text created by AI without checking it first.

This is because

it might be "slightly different from what you really want to convey."

This is because there are times when that happens.

Also, text created by AI may contain unnatural expressions or errors.

When you have AI write text for you,

"Does this say what I want to say?"

be sure to read it over once.

6. Do not input other people's personal information into AI

You need to be careful not only with your own information, but also with information about family, friends, and acquaintances.

For example,

"Enter a friend's name, address, phone number, workplace, etc., and write a letter to this person"

is a way of using it that you should avoid.

When using AI,

"remember to value not only your own information, but also the information of others"

7. Do not get too used to having AI "make decisions for you"

When you consult AI, you get an answer right away.

This is very convenient.

However,

"If I ask AI, it will decide everything for me"

is a way of using it that requires caution.

For example,

"Which one should I choose?"

Instead of asking that,

"Please organize the differences between these two."

Ask this instead.

By doing so, you can use AI not as a "decision maker," but as

a partner that helps you think

Because AI is convenient, maintaining a sense of distance is important.

AI is not a magic tool that does everything for you.

Use it for its convenience where it is useful.

However, make important decisions yourself.

Consult with people if necessary.

This balance is important.

For example,

AI → Organize information

Expert → Make professional judgments

Yourself → Make the final decision

It is easy to understand if you imagine this division of roles.

This is not to say that you should not use AI.

Reading this far,

"Isn't AI actually quite dangerous?"

You might think so.

That is not the case.

What is important is not to fear AI, but to

know that "AI has its strengths and weaknesses"

and keep that in mind.

A kitchen knife is also a useful tool if used correctly.

But it is dangerous if used incorrectly.

AI is somewhat similar to that.

Because it is a useful tool, just know the basic precautions when using it.

That alone is enough.

When in doubt, "check with a person too"

When using AI,

"Is this really okay?"

If you think that, it is fine not to decide on your own.

Consult with your family.

Ask an expert.

Check official information.

By doing so, let's combine information other than AI.

This habit is especially important for serious issues such as health, money, and the law.

Things to remember today

The important thing when using AI is

not to "leave everything to it because it's convenient," but to "use its convenient features wisely"

that is what it means.

To summarize the key points this time,

• Do not assume AI answers are always correct
• Do not rely solely on AI for important health or medical decisions
• Do not rely solely on AI for important financial decisions
• Do not input personal information unnecessarily
• Check text created by AI before sending it
• Respect other people's personal information as well
• Do not leave final decisions entirely to AI

Remembering this much is enough for starters.

There is no need to be afraid of AI.

However, use it with a bit of caution.

Let's interact with it while keeping that sense of distance.

Slow consultation

"I want to try using AI, but I don't know what to be careful about."

For those people, this note will introduce AI as clearly as possible.

There is no need to learn difficult things all at once.

Learn, try it out, and if you don't understand, ask again.

In that way, let's get used to AI slowly.