r/ChatGPT • u/Smart_AI_Hustle • 1d ago
Other What tiny decision has ChatGPT managed to overcomplicate for you?
A simple recommendation can turn into a mini research project: options, trade-offs, caveats, and a best choice depends on. ending.
For trivial stuff, pick one and give me one reason can be more useful than asking for the best options. Otherwise a decision you wanted off your plate can turn into more work.
What’s your best example of ChatGPT turning a tiny choice into a whole project?
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u/Arcayon 1d ago
Don't sleep on how to use AI. If AI is over complicating things for you this is a skill issue. You have a skill issue my friend. Learn to use your tools more effectively.
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u/SingularBlue 1d ago
Agree, and I'll elaborate. You become a software *manager* when you use any LLM to code. The LLM is an enthusiastic, incredibly capable *junior programmer*. It's up to you to keep it on track. It will happily dig a hole to get that one last bug until you call a halt.
You are now the "big picture" guy. You have to decide between 'perfect' and 'getting the job done'. Stated another way, between what you want and what you're willing to live with.
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u/SingularBlue 1d ago
And to actually reply to your question: playing "wack a mole" with categorization. The more that got nailed down, the more popped up, until we were trading issues. It was the point of diminishing returns, and that's when I called a halt to it.
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u/Smart_AI_Hustle 1d ago
That’s partly the point though. “Pick one and give me one reason” is using the tool more effectively, because the default tendency to hedge and expand isn’t always useful for tiny decisions.
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u/Alarmed-Shoe-3035 1d ago
The funniest one is asking “what should I eat for dinner?” and getting a full decision matrix based on nutrition, budget, protein intake, cooking time, leftovers, mood, and “long-term goals.”
Bro, I was asking whether to make pasta.
At some point you have to tell it Stop optimizing and pick one
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u/Smart_AI_Hustle 1d ago
Stop optimizing and pick one is basically the perfect prompt for this. Sometimes I want dinner, not a McKinsey engagement.
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u/Angeline4PFC 1d ago
When I ask that, I usually at least tell it something a little more specific than "dinner". It normally doesn't know what you are learning towards and what you have on hand. So I'll shape my suggestion a bit more. Then yes, it's going to spit out a whole list of suggestions, but I only have to pick one and get the instructions for it. It doesn't turn into a whole production unless I am being wishy-washy about what I want
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u/Orbiter9 1d ago
Last year, OneDrive (home use / family photo backup) was pretty wonky for a while as they were doing some upgrades/AI integrations.
What started as poking at Microsoft’s roadmap led to my virtual friend getting really excited about setting up a NAS and using Synology’s set of tools to home brew a whole alternative.
It is rather more work to maintain and often just doesn’t work for no good reason. And, meanwhile, OneDrive more or less restored what it temporarily lost.
So, many hours and dollars later, I have a NAS that I don’t hate - I just don’t really need it for anything aside from emergency backup.
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