ChatGPT is not Google. And Google is not ChatGPT.

In this episode of Decoded: AI for Everyone, we continue Season 4: Applied Intelligence by looking at one of the most common mistakes people make with AI: treating a generated answer like a verified answer.

Search helps you find information. AI helps you explain, summarise, compare and make sense of information. Some tools now do both, but the difference still matters.

We break down how to use AI and search together without getting misled, including when AI is useful on its own, when you need to check sources, and when you should slow down before relying on the answer.

You’ll also get a simple practical prompt you can use before your next important search:

“I’m trying to find reliable information about [topic]. First, explain the topic in plain English. Then give me five search terms to use, the most reliable types of sources to check, the claims I should verify, and any red flags that might suggest the information is weak or outdated.”

Use AI to understand.

Use search to verify.

Use judgement to decide.

Resources

• Resources for this episode, including the prompt and supporting notes, are available at: https://decoded-podcast.com/resources/s4e2
• More from Decoded: https://decoded-podcast.com
• Prompt guides and practical AI resources: https://PromptEngineeringCookbook.com
• Strategen AI helps organisations adopt AI safely, practically and without unnecessary cost or risk: https://www.strategen-ai.com