What takes place when we trust a chatbot more than a doctor?
A guy in his late thirties felt unhealthy. Nothing dramatic. Simply an aching throat that wouldn’t disappear. Some trouble ingesting. He assumed it could be stress, maybe something minor. Like many of us, he didn’t rush to the medical facility. He opened up ChatGPT instead.
He described his signs and symptoms. The chatbot provided him a response that appeared risk-free. It stated it was most likely nothing severe. He felt alleviation. Enough to postpone seeing a medical professional.
Months passed. The discomfort grew even worse. Ultimately, he went to a clinic. The information was devastating. He had stage 4 esophageal cancer cells. Hostile. Advanced. Hard to deal with.
Why the Story Matters
This tale is not concerning criticizing technology. It’s about just how very easy it is to rely on a device that appears certain of itself. ChatGPT doesn’t pause, it does not claim “I don’t recognize.” It replies in smooth sentences, like a positive pal. That tone makes people think it understands more than it does.
Yet ChatGPT is not a doctor. It can not see, test, or feel. It forecasts words. That’s all. When you enter symptoms, it does not diagnose– it presumes what words may follow based upon patterns. Occasionally those hunches are close …