Things you bought based on AI advice (good or bad!)

[Matias]

Everyone uses AI to ask questions and/or create images etc, but I wonder if others like me used AI to research a topic and ended up buying something based on its advice? Can be audio related or other stuff. And if it was a good advice or bad? Any AI: ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, whatever.

I start with 2 examples that I "discovered" based on AI.

minidsp Flex HTx was not on my radar at all when I was researching for an AVP to replace my old AVR in my HT setup. Of course I know the brand and its most famous products, but particularly the Flex line flew under my radar for some reason. After chatting back and forth with AI for my use case, preferences, budget, limitations, etc I ended up buying the Flex HTx and it worked like a charm (given that you pair it with an Apple TV 4k, which I knew and did). This one worked alright.

The others are not audio related.

I have an old mini ITX computer that I wanted to upgrade its CPU to the maximum the motherboard would accept for light gaming for the kids. It suggested me a specific model (5775C) which I would never guess or have researched, I ended up buying and it was indeed a good call. Then I needed a low profile cooler for it, and it recommended a Thermalright AXP90-X47. I am still about to receive it, I think it was a good call because it filtered hundreds of options out there and gave me what apparently fits my needs, budget and limitations. I assume another successful purchase suggested by AI that helped me narrow my choices.

Maybe I got lucky? Does any of you ended buying something clearly wrong because of bad advices from AI?

 

[Redacted]

AI is good for listing a number of choices.
Whether the selected choices are manipulated for money, who knows?
AI is good for presenting reasonably factual information.
Whether you really get much more than "group think"/"blokes down the pub reckon" on anything that leans towards subjective views, I personally doubt.
In a bigger sociopolitical context, AI is mostly about making Winston agree that there are indeed four fingers in front of him.

 

[ppierre]

Whether the selected choices are manipulated for money, who knows?

Google made a killing by manipulating search ranking (promoted link).
If AI company had such mechanism in place, they would have disclose it.
It will arrive soon enough...

 

[Redacted]

Google made a killing by manipulating search ranking (promoted link).
If AI company had such mechanism in place, they would have disclose it.
It will arrive soon enough...

Google was using algorithms before anyone was using AI - they're not the same!

 

[Talisman]

I've made some purchases, I wouldn't say based on AI suggestions, but rather by using AI to extract more information, such as about brands I wasn't familiar with, or about any certifications available, or by using barcodes or other data to extract additional information.
In short, I don't let AI tell me what to buy, but it certainly helps me make more informed purchases.

 

[SSS]

AI do I use only to get a first shot answer when I have a question. Then I can seriously otherwise search according to key words in the AI answer. For no reason I will make decisions or buy solely on an AI based information.

 

[Redacted]

90% of my (factual) searches have AI reference WIkipedia. I donate, so I always click on the Wiki article.

 

[Matias]

AI do I use only to get a first shot answer when I have a question. Then I can seriously otherwise search according to key words in the AI answer. For no reason I will make decisions or buy solely on an AI based information.

Agreed. I think the value of AI is searching a million options and giving us the best 3, and it is up to the user to double check and verify before committing to the purchase. But surely it can dig up some gold!

 

[YouDontHaveEnoughBass]

I bought a pair of Lintons a few years ago based on advice by the original chatgpt, ended up swapping them for ascilabs the ballooning dispersion in the 2-6khz range made the things too bright in my reflective room and I’d rather get a speaker that works than try to fix one with acoustic panels

 

[kemmler3D]

It will arrive soon enough...

ChatGPT already has ads, not sure when / if other services will add them.

Personally I don't think I've used AI to drive any purchases, but I don't buy that much stuff lately. I think my last substantial purchase was a rafting helmet and I just went for the second cheapest one from a brand I've heard of.

 

[ppierre]

ChatGPT already has ads

Ads in CahtGPT | OpenAI

Do ads influence the answers ChatGPT gives me?
No. Ads do not influence ChatGPT’s answers. Ads run on separate systems from our chat model, and advertisers have no ability to shape, rank, or alter ChatGPT’s responses. Ads are separate and clearly labeled.

It isn't "sponsored reply" like Google was inserting sponsored links.

 

[kemmler3D]

Ads in CahtGPT | OpenAI

It isn't "sponsored reply" like Google was inserting sponsored links.

Not yet, but depending on how desperate they become to get profitable over time, who knows how it will go? Maybe it will start giving you the hard sell on a certified pre owned Rivian one of these days...

 

[Plcamp]

I am currently trying to (as a complete novice) figure out best choice for a 3D printer, and AI is very helpful to a point, but unable to narrow certain technical points decisively.

So the less expensive anycubic device with the thinner bed is still in unresolved conflict with the more expensive creality with a thicker bed. It delivers to me a suspicion that the Creality is best match, but is very careful to essentially say “I don’t know what is best”.

 

[kemmler3D]

I am currently trying to (as a complete novice) figure out best choice for a 3D printer, and AI is very helpful to a point, but unable to narrow certain technical points decisively.

So the less expensive anycubic device with the thinner bed is still in unresolved conflict with the more expensive creality with a thicker bed. It delivers to me a suspicion that the Creality is best match, but is very careful to essentially say “I don’t know what is best”.

If you want my advice you should go Prusa if you care about open source and respect for IP and Bambu lab if you don't want to pay extra for that. I have a Bambu P1S and I've used a lot of printers over the years, it's easily been the least troublesome. Why is bed thickness a consideration?

I had an Anycubic before the P1S and it was fine, no real complaints, but the P1S blows it out of the water. Like 10x the quality for 2x the price. Compared to the $2K maker bot we had at work 12 years ago it's miraculous.

 

[Plcamp]

First, I do want the 350mm cubed build volume, so that narrows down the field a lot. Did t see a Bambu at that volume. Do want enclosed for more advanced materials in future.

The “bed issue” is how flat and how temperature uniform it is. I suspect that might be an issue with anycubic, just from comments on YouTube videos I have watched.

I don’t have a clue about the IP issue you raise?

Edit: The Prusa XL looks great. (So does it’s price) You get what you pay for I suppose.

 

[Subwaffler]

Everyone uses AI to ask questions and/or create images etc,

No we don't.

I only ever read an AI search result once for a bit of kit i was looking for information on and it confidently told me no such item existed, which was odd as one of them was sitting on the table in front of me at the time.

 

[Somafunk]

Everyone uses AI to ask questions and/or create images etc,

Nope , not everyone

 

[ivayvr]

I am using AI only to search/research more efficiently. Basing your decision on AI solely, is risky. There is a number of false positives or incorrect information.
Recently, I was searching for a washer and dryer combo to find out if it is matching our building's electrical installation. Some of the answers/suggestions were plain wrong, stating that only 120 V is required. Taking the advice of AI without additional verification would have been quite costly.
For specific information about audio, there is much more reliable source, frequently quoted by AI. It is called ASR.

 

[Pareto Pragmatic]

I don't spend money based on what fancy autocomplete says.

For specific information about audio, there is much more reliable source, frequently quoted by AI. It is called ASR.

You could limit the AI to ASR content, and generally limiting data used is a good route to go with these tools. You could even weight the information on number of user posts, or likes, or "use of quantitative reasoning". Or whatever.

Still fancy autocomplete, but might save some time.

 

[Matias]

No we don't.

I only ever read an AI search result once for a bit of kit i was looking for information on and it confidently told me no such item existed, which was odd as one of them was sitting on the table in front of me at the time.

Nope , not everyone

Ok, ok, change that to "a lot of people". Also because now Google Search already gives an AI answer by default whether users ask it or not, so one has to actively ignore that part (or use another search engine).