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What do you use chatGPT for, if you use it at all?

155 replies

Groaaan · 10/08/2026 16:19

A friend told me her workload has halved since she started using it but I couldn’t understand how, something to do with spreadsheets. Then I’ve just been reading an AMA where they are, very worryingly to me, having some kind of fantasy relationship with it.

I’ve used it to design an invitation to a 50th and for ideas about designing my new kitchen but nothing more.

Just wondering what other people use it for, if they do at all.

OP posts:
MrsOctaviaCharlotteSmythe · 10/08/2026 17:06

@Groaaan can i ask chatgpt itself because i did and here what it said ;

Executive Summary: Use of ChatGPT

The user primarily uses ChatGPT as a research, analytical, drafting, and problem-solving assistant across a broad range of academic, professional, technical, historical, and practical subjects. The emphasis is generally not on obtaining simple answers, but on using the system to investigate a subject in depth, identify relevant evidence, test competing interpretations, and turn disparate information into structured analysis.

Research and Analytical Work

A major use is research and fact-checking. The user frequently brings articles, forum discussions, claims, reports, and contemporary issues to ChatGPT and asks it to investigate the underlying evidence, establish what is factually supported, identify inaccuracies, and determine which competing interpretation is better supported. This includes analysis of current affairs, technology, economics, scientific developments, public policy, social issues, and historical events.

The user is particularly interested in causal analysis: not merely establishing what happened, but understanding why it happened, what constraints shaped the actors involved, what incentives were operating, and what consequences followed. Complex subjects are often examined through institutional behaviour, technological capability, logistics, economics, information flows, strategic incentives, and geopolitical considerations.

Intelligence, Military and Strategic Analysis

Another substantial area is military history, intelligence, national security, geopolitics, and strategic studies. The user frequently approaches these subjects in an intelligence-analysis style, examining force structures, doctrine, deployment, command and control, technology, logistics, intelligence collection, strategic deception, institutional interests, and historical development.

Historical subjects are generally treated within their contemporary context rather than through hindsight. The objective is to reconstruct the decisions and constraints facing governments, military organisations, intelligence services, and other institutions at the time.

The user also uses ChatGPT to explore broader concepts such as strategic psychology, statecraft, adversarial behaviour, game theory, information asymmetry, deception, and institutional power. A recurring analytical interest is understanding the mechanisms beneath visible events, particularly where information is incomplete, concealed, distorted, or strategically controlled.

Technology and Technical Research

ChatGPT is also used extensively for technology research and technical decision-making. Topics have included artificial intelligence, computing, servers, networking, storage, GPUs, data centres, cybersecurity-related concepts, scientific technologies, telecommunications, space systems, and emerging military technology.

This often involves comparing specifications, assessing practical capabilities, estimating costs and power requirements, considering alternative configurations, and determining whether a technology is appropriate for a particular use case. The user also uses ChatGPT to understand technical systems that they are already operating or considering building, rather than simply requesting consumer-level explanations.

Professional and Career Support

A further use is professional development and workplace analysis. ChatGPT is used to examine job roles, transferable skills, CV requirements, interview preparation, organisational issues, and potential career opportunities. It is also used to help interpret workplace situations and convert informal ideas or experience into clearer professional language.

Document Development and Writing

The user regularly uses ChatGPT as a long-form drafting and editorial tool. Rough notes, concepts, research material, and partially developed proposals can be transformed into structured reports, executive summaries, analytical essays, operational plans, briefing documents, and other formal material.
The system is particularly useful for imposing structure on large amounts of information. This can include developing sections, expanding arguments, improving chronology, identifying missing considerations, refining terminology, and producing a coherent final document from fragmented source material.
The preferred analytical format tends toward substantial, formal writing rather than short generic responses, particularly when dealing with complex subjects.

Evaluation of Online Discussions and Public Advice

The user frequently brings online discussions, particularly forum and social-media material, for analysis. Rather than simply asking whether a participant is "right" or "wrong", the material is often examined for factual accuracy, logical consistency, competing interpretations, assumptions, communication failures, and the distinction between reasonable disagreement and demonstrably incorrect claims.

This includes discussions from sites such as Mumsnet, where ChatGPT is used to separate the emotional or interpersonal dimensions of a discussion from the underlying factual and logical questions.

Planning, Projects and Costing

ChatGPT is also used as a planning and project-development tool. Examples include developing multi-stage programmes, operational concepts, technical infrastructure, restoration or modernisation projects, and detailed implementation plans.

Where appropriate, the user asks for projects to be progressively developed through successive phases, with attention to resources, procedures, equipment, costs, risks, documentation, accountability, and practical implementation.

Practical Problem-Solving

There is also a more ordinary but important use as a general-purpose problem-solving assistant. This includes questions about hardware, household matters, equipment, purchasing decisions, specifications, calculations, practical procedures, and everyday decisions.

In these situations, the value is primarily speed and synthesis: the user can describe a problem in informal terms and use ChatGPT to determine what information matters, identify plausible solutions, and translate the problem into actionable steps.

Creative and Visual Work

The user also uses ChatGPT for creative development and visual design, including generating images, redesigning existing images, creating posters and information graphics, developing visual concepts, and turning written specifications into visual material.

This complements the analytical work: written concepts, fictional or technical profiles, project descriptions, and other material can be converted into visual representations when appropriate.

Overall Pattern of Use

Taken together, the user's use of ChatGPT is best characterised as an integrated research and analytical workspace rather than a simple question-and-answer service.

The system is used to move between several stages of intellectual work: identifying a question, researching available evidence, testing competing claims, analysing underlying mechanisms, organising information, developing an argument, producing formal written material, and—where useful—turning the result into a practical plan, technical specification, or visual product.

The common thread across these applications is the attempt to understand complex systems rather than merely describe them. Whether the subject is military history, intelligence, technology, economics, an online argument, a professional problem, or a practical project, the user generally seeks to establish the relevant facts, identify the mechanisms producing the observed outcome, assess competing explanations, and arrive at a structured conclusion.
In that respect, ChatGPT functions for the user as a combination of research assistant, analytical sounding board, technical consultant, editor, planning tool, and creative production assistant, with the relative importance of each role changing according to the subject being examined.

FeliciaFancybottom · 10/08/2026 17:07

Nothing. We should be pushing against it, not leaning into it.

MrsOctaviaCharlotteSmythe · 10/08/2026 17:07

FeliciaFancybottom · 10/08/2026 17:07

Nothing. We should be pushing against it, not leaning into it.

why ?

SaferHaven · 10/08/2026 17:07

Planning tube journeys.

planning long car journeys and stops en route.

present ideas.

Ideas for engagement at work.

Places to visit at destinations tailored to my family.

Event planning.

Meal prepping and planning shopping lists.

i don’t use it every day but it’s very handy.

Twoshoesnewshoes · 10/08/2026 17:08

We use it to make travel agendas -we often travel between several countries in Europe and it’s good at working out timings and suggesting stopovers.

towhoknowswhere · 10/08/2026 17:11

WineCharm · 10/08/2026 16:50

I'm not sure this thread is any less terrifying than the other one.

I actually think it’s more terrifying! 😳

IHaveTraumaFromAlfredHitchcocksTheBirds · 10/08/2026 17:11

I started to use it to help me self representing in court and its been invaluable with that. The only other thing I use it for is keeping track of calories and my average weekly weight.

MrsOctaviaCharlotteSmythe · 10/08/2026 17:12

IHaveTraumaFromAlfredHitchcocksTheBirds · 10/08/2026 17:11

I started to use it to help me self representing in court and its been invaluable with that. The only other thing I use it for is keeping track of calories and my average weekly weight.

becareful with the court aspect, there was a trial that has to be retrialed because chatgpt helped with her answers etc

Berlinlover · 10/08/2026 17:14

Mainly about my health, I have Stage 4 cancer.

IHaveTraumaFromAlfredHitchcocksTheBirds · 10/08/2026 17:17

MrsOctaviaCharlotteSmythe · 10/08/2026 17:12

becareful with the court aspect, there was a trial that has to be retrialed because chatgpt helped with her answers etc

Its all over and done with now, and I got what I wanted, which i couldn't have done without it.

It was more for all the filing of various paperwork which has to be done in a specific way than anything else.

MrsOctaviaCharlotteSmythe · 10/08/2026 17:17

IHaveTraumaFromAlfredHitchcocksTheBirds · 10/08/2026 17:17

Its all over and done with now, and I got what I wanted, which i couldn't have done without it.

It was more for all the filing of various paperwork which has to be done in a specific way than anything else.

ah fair points, and congrats

MyNewestUsername · 10/08/2026 17:18

Everything.

Vinted descriptions
tiktok captions
ideas for books to publish on Amazon
Complaint letters

SaffronsMadAboutMe · 10/08/2026 17:18

I used it when my husband was given a few months to live. It was invaluable at explaining what was going on inside his body and all the things we might need to prepare for.

It also helped me to work out all the utility companies/insurance companies/banks etc that I needed to notify when he died, and wrote me a great email template at a time when my brain couldn't focus.

Oh and I used it to filter/brighten up some very old photos of my husband for the wake.

The only thing I didn't like was the fake sounding 'Please accept my condolences' type of talk, so I told it to stop and it did.

Fledgedup · 10/08/2026 17:20

ED recovery support.
Deescalating panic attacks.
How to return things online.

shopaholicanon · 10/08/2026 17:22

I use it for therapy, medical advice, travel planning, redrafting emails, drafting medical guidelines for work, interior design in rooms at home and help sourcing furniture/accessories, book reviews and suggestions, discount codes for shopping, hair and make up advice, step by step instructions for tech problems or to help fix things around the home. Lots of things! Love it.

Squirrel437 · 10/08/2026 17:24

Design a new bedroom
Medical stuff
Blood test analysis
Complaint Letters
Pension Pot Values and Retirement Plans

SendforJulietOne · 10/08/2026 17:25

Recently: Travel suggestions especially if I only have a few hours in one place- suggested walking routes, things to see etc.

CV, cover letters, expressions of interest for jobs.

Turned a holiday selfie into an ID photo.

Seeing what I'd look like if I dyed my hair ginger (I liked it and did it!)

WallaceinAnderland · 10/08/2026 17:26

I used it to find the relevant points in a very long legal document.

AuntieBiotics · 10/08/2026 17:26

Generating templates for powerpoint presentations. very easy to use, and you can tweak by telling it to make the background green not red, or change the font or whatever. Does a good job of it too.

MrsOctaviaCharlotteSmythe · 10/08/2026 17:27

if anyone is intrested, you can ask chatgpt what my conversations are or what it says about me etc then if you have the option selected where it can read the other chats, it can give a summary of all your types of chats

Inthebleakmidwinter1 · 10/08/2026 17:30

Someone in hospital. Used it to discuss symptoms and it was very good at coming up with questions for the professionals just to make sure they were considering everything they should. All framed nicely ie is there a reason you have ruled out sepsis and things like that.

Somersetbaker · 10/08/2026 17:31

Nothing. It's a load of bollocks used by people who can't work a search engine, or understand the results it gives. There is no way of knowing if the source material it uses is true or if any answer it gives is correct, unless the original question was trivial. Does anybody remember "ELIZA" the computer psychotherapist?

MrsOctaviaCharlotteSmythe · 10/08/2026 17:32

Somersetbaker · 10/08/2026 17:31

Nothing. It's a load of bollocks used by people who can't work a search engine, or understand the results it gives. There is no way of knowing if the source material it uses is true or if any answer it gives is correct, unless the original question was trivial. Does anybody remember "ELIZA" the computer psychotherapist?

so no different than asking advice from other humans, unless each time you ask a human you say whats your sources or your qualifications on x subjects

Inthebleakmidwinter1 · 10/08/2026 17:33

I also use it to rephrase my communications sometimes. I’ve been told I’m very blunt and sometimes I can tell my email is a bit arsey but I can’t think
how to make my point a different way. It’s very good at that and it’s kind of taught me
a bit about how to soften my style

WhatAMarvelousTune · 10/08/2026 17:36

I use it for work because our AI usage is monitored and high usage is good for our performance reviews (how we use it is not monitored, so asking a couple of random questions a day will keep your usage up and therefore improve your performance review). I do wonder about the people I work with who loudly proclaim “isn’t it wonderful, this report would have taken me a week but it took AI 30 mins”. Congrats, you’ve presented an argument for your role being redundant. But well done on the copilot usage I guess.
But I’m also confused by people who say they don’t know how to use AI. It’s literally the easiest thing. Just tell it what you want it to do. You might need to refine it a bit, but that’s it. It’s not coding. It’s not something you need to learn.

Personally I don’t really use it day to day. But I did find it extremely useful for a long term pain that I had. Multiple GP visits had simply resulted in “have you tried ibuprofen?” but ChatGPT was able to diagnose me. Obviously I didn’t just take it as gospel, but did my research, suggested it to my GP who then referred me to a specialist who confirmed it. Pain is now much reduced.