I used ChatGPT to seek out new trainers, and I’m by no means going again to Google Search

ChatGPT is without doubt one of the greatest sensations in tech. It’s a generative AI product that’s not excellent however may also help you in quite a lot of fascinating methods. You possibly can go to ChatGPT for something you is likely to be trying to do on-line. And that’s why I made a decision to make use of ChatGPT to assist me purchase new trainers. After the expertise, I feel that’s the one manner I’ll search on-line any further when I’ve questions on shopping for new merchandise.
The issue
The pandemic exacerbated my train laziness, giving me the right excuse to cease figuring out. That’s very true on the subject of working. Why exit the place it wasn’t secure when I’ve the web at residence? And there’s Netflix and different streaming providers with loads of thrilling titles. A have a look at my bio is sufficient to drive that time residence.
One other side-effect of the pandemic was that I ate more healthy than ever earlier than. House-cooked meals largely changed takeout and unhealthy meals I’d have burned away whereas working. So I really misplaced weight through the pandemic, which gave me one more reason to skip exercises.
Nonetheless, I acquired again to common train and working quickly after the vaccines got here out, discovering I nonetheless may run a 5K with relative ease. However I discovered that my physique would not get well as quick because it used to. Lack of coaching and ageing meant that getting again into the rhythm would take some time.
Quick-forward to spring 2023, and I’m working and strolling greater than ever. However I’m additionally experiencing ache in my ft. I wish to get again to working semi-marathons, and I wish to enhance my tempo. A key a part of all of that’s having the precise sneakers.
I may spend hours researching all of that through conventional Google Search queries. Or, I may simply ask ChatGPT.
However I don’t belief ChatGPT…
As everyone knows, ChatGPT may give deceptive or false outcomes. That’s why I don’t belief the chatbot and why I at all times ask for references throughout my chats. I did the identical factor throughout my dialog about trainers.
I requested for a high 5 record from the chatbot that would come with info just like the lowest worth, a retailer hyperlink, a YouTube evaluation, and a hyperlink to photographs of the product.

One other factor it’s best to find out about ChatGPT is that its data is proscribed to late 2021. The free ChatGPT will not be linked stay to the web. So how may ChatGPT give me correct details about the very best trainers in 2023 when it doesn’t see them?
Nicely, the excellent news is that ChatGPT’s solutions are nonetheless helpful. I may attempt to purchase one of many 2021 fashions that the bot beneficial for a fair higher cut price than the 2021 record worth. Or I may simply get the latest model of the sneakers it beneficial. That’s as a result of there’s virtually at all times a brand new mannequin of the working shoe you’re searching for.
Why ChatGPT is extra helpful than Google Search
I may have requested Google to offer me the highest 5 trainers for 2023, and Google would have delivered.
However my search was extra difficult than that. I had a number of situations. Bear in mind the foot ache? I wished ChatGPT to offer me suggestions for situations like plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis.
As you possibly can see above, my query was quite simple. I used to be searching for choices that will give me nice assist for plantar fasciitis. It took a couple of seconds, and I had the outcomes. Naturally, I questioned the place the outcomes got here from, so I requested ChatGPT:

The reality is I wasn’t blissful that the primary record didn’t embody the fashions I had on my record earlier than my chat. So I requested ChatGPT to offer me extra outcomes for that particular model I wished. Positive sufficient, ChatGPT complied.
I then realized I may complicate my query. I additionally wish to run sooner whereas nonetheless being comfy and decreasing damage danger:

After reviewing among the regenerated suggestions and searching YouTube for hands-on experiences from different runners, I spotted I’ve one other potential drawback my trainers ought to assist with: Overpronation.
So, naturally, I went again to the chat:

The record I ended up with coated three parameters: consolation for plantar fasciitis, private finest enchancment, and overpronation.
Now that I used to be beginning to get excited, I went for the same request, this time addressing Achilles tendonitis. Positive sufficient, ChatGPT complied:

Did I purchase any trainers that ChatGPT beneficial?
So what did I do with all that info? I spent hours watching YouTube clips that defined among the latest improvements in working shoe tech. I began with the movies ChatGPT beneficial, taking place the rabbit gap from clip to clip to reply my curiosities.
After which, I bought my first new trainers following the dialog with ChatGPT.
Did I get one of many high suggestions? Nicely, no, I didn’t.
Keep in mind that I don’t belief ChatGPT and that the data it offered was correct as of late 2021. After all of the YouTube opinions, I acquired a pair of trainers from the corporate that didn’t seem within the preliminary high 5 record. And it wasn’t the 2021 mannequin however the 2023 variant.

After a couple of runs, I can say they’re certainly comfy, they usually appear so as to add a bit spring to my step. It is likely to be a placebo, after all.
I’ll additionally say that I’ve that ChatGPT convo about trainers saved. Even when which means the info will attain OpenAI’s servers. And that’s the fourth factor it’s best to know concerning the chatbot. It data and remembers all the things. Maintaining that chat historical past means your chats can’t be personal.
I can at all times return to that chat to examine among the different fashions. And the very best half about chat historical past is that ChatGPT already has the context and is aware of the way to reply follow-up questions.
I’ll by no means return to easy Google Search
I’ll add that an improve to GPT-4 through ChatGPT Plus would additionally give me entry to stay web through Bing Search. And I’ll positively run the identical prompts with OpenAI’s chatbot with stay web entry sooner or later.
For now, I couldn’t be happier with what ChatGPT did for me. Quite than suspending the working shoe analysis as a result of I knew it will be lengthy and tedious, I had ChatGPT do all of the onerous work for me.

I ended up researching only some particular sneakers, discovering a couple of decisions I wouldn’t have thought of earlier than. And I discovered a couple of YouTube channels I’ll keep watch over for additional working shoe suggestions.
Whether or not it’s ChatGPT, Bing Chat, or a variant of Google Bard, I do know for sure I’m not going to make use of common Google Seek for purchasing. Particularly when I’ve a number of necessities for a brand new product.