What The Tech: What A.I. might not be telling you
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Technology Reporter
AI Assistants Are Everywhere. But Are They Always Telling the Truth?
Everyone’s using AI now. Whether it’s ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity AI, these tools have quickly become the go-to for quick answers.
In fact, a lot of people are skipping Google searches altogether and just asking AI. But here’s the problem: they’re not always right. And if you rely on just one, you could be setting yourself up for a mistake.
Each AI Has a “Blind Spot”
These tools are powerful, no doubt. They can explain complicated topics, help you write, and save time. But each one has a weakness, and knowing what those are can make a big difference.
ChatGPT: Confident… even when it shouldn’t be
ChatGPT is the most popular AI assistant out there, and for good reason. It’s excellent at writing and explaining things in plain language. But it has a reputation for being confidently wrong. It can make up facts, sources, and even quotes and present them like they’re completely legitimate. If you didn’t already know better, you might never question it. If the information matters, it’s worth double-checking.
Gemini: Built on search, but not foolproof
Gemini is tied directly to Google’s search engine, which sounds like a major advantage. But even Google’s AI has stumbled. There have been cases where its AI-generated summaries included bad advice that experts later had to correct. Just because something shows up at the top of a search page doesn’t
guarantee it’s accurate.
Perplexity: Sources included… but read them closely
Perplexity markets itself as an AI-powered search engine. It even includes links and sources with its answers, which feels more trustworthy. But there’s a catch. Sometimes those sources don’t actually say what the AI claims they do. The citation is there, but the interpretation can be off. So if it really matters, click the link and read it yourself.
Claude: Careful to a fault
Claude has become one of the fastest-growing AI tools and is known for being more cautious. That’s good for accuracy, but it can go too far the other way.
It may refuse to answer questions it probably could handle, or give responses that feel overly vague just to avoid being wrong.
The Bottom Line
AI assistants are incredibly useful tools. They can save time, simplify complex topics, and help you get things done faster. But they’re not fact-checkers. No matter which one you use, the safest approach is simple:
Don’t trust just one. Check with others. And when it really matters, verify it yourself. Think of AI as a starting point, not the final answer.
