Real ChatGPT examples
Real ChatGPT examples from public posts we opened and checked. Each card opens the case: what the person asked, what happened, and a prompt you can copy. Some of these worked, some partly worked, and some failed. The label on the case says whether the words are the person's own, rebuilt from their account, or our fuller version.
358 source-checked cases where people used ChatGPT. All ChatGPT cases
Ask AI chatbots to pick a 17th birthday gift for a teen
ChatGPT, Copilot and Claude all failed Stephen Johnson's 17th birthday gift test, from a hunting knife to a typewriter.
FailureChatGPT +2Evidence: Article or interviewView CaseBuild an Excel forecast, scenario and CFO memo with Claude, Copilot and ChatGPT
Claude beat Copilot and ChatGPT in Mike Dion's Excel forecast tests, but ChatGPT's model missed key costs: a partial result.
PartialClaude (Excel) +2Evidence: Article or interviewView CaseBuy a used car from overseas by email with ChatGPT
ChatGPT helped a Reddit poster in Germany buy a 2021 CR-V by email, cutting the out-the-door price from about $28.7k to $26,000.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseCheck math homework in the school drop-off line with ChatGPT
ChatGPT said 4 of 8 math answers were wrong, but every answer was correct; ChatGPT had made the error.
FailureChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseCheck a parent's veteran survivor benefits eligibility with Claude
Claude produced a benefits list, paperwork and a VSO summary, but the claim had just begun and may not succeed.
PartialClaude +1Evidence: Described by posterView CaseFind unused subscriptions and script bill-cutting calls with ChatGPT
Donna Valdes found $87 a month in unused subscriptions with ChatGPT and read its script to cut internet and cell bills.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseFind real quotes about caregiving hardships with ChatGPT
ChatGPT failed to find real quotes about caregiving hardships for Laurie Watanabe and admitted it made up a quote.
FailureChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewView CasePlan a four-night solo trip to Fiji with ChatGPT
ChatGPT's four-night Fiji plan for Monika Barton had wrong arrival times, far-off dinners and family resorts; a travel agent fixed it.
PartialChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewView CaseFix a warm, humid fridge by replacing the defrost heater with ChatGPT
ChatGPT walked Gary Deckerd through a fridge defrost failure; a $20 kit fixed it, but its first part picks were wrong.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseStudy for a math test with step-by-step ChatGPT equation walkthroughs
ChatGPT walked Reuven Gorsht's daughter through every equation, but the studying didn't stick and the daughter bombed the math test.
FailureChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CasePlan a solo female trip to Thailand with ChatGPT
ChatGPT gave Maria Paschalias useful Bangkok and train tips but recommended a poor-fit town and missed limited train times.
PartialChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseGet written out-the-door quotes for a new car with ChatGPT
ChatGPT helped a Reddit poster get a 2025 Accord Hybrid EX-L for $32,449.77 out the door, below the $36,135 MSRP, in 30 hours.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseMake a Father's Day promo image for a bagel shop with ChatGPT (it backfired)
A DC bagel shop's ChatGPT image had a twisted arm and the wrong skyline, and the post drew Reddit mockery and was deleted.
FailureChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewView CaseCheck ESPP sales on a 1099 before filing with ChatGPT
ChatGPT explained Ryan Ermey's ESPP 1099, but a CPA found the advice incomplete and it missed some numbers.
PartialChatGPTEvidence: Article or interviewView CaseNegotiate a broadband renewal over live chat with ChatGPT
Mike Chatterton pasted each live-chat reply into ChatGPT during a broadband renewal and saved £400.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseCheck visa rules for a trip to Puerto Rico with ChatGPT and miss the flight
A traveler asked ChatGPT about a visa for Puerto Rico, heard no and missed the flight without the ESTA authorization.
FailureChatGPTEvidence: Shown on videoView CaseCompare ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini on three risky PC problems
Gemini gave the safest PC advice in all three tests, while ChatGPT and Claude each got a safety answer wrong.
PartialChatGPT +2Evidence: Screenshots or logsView CaseOrganize a parent's care tasks and medical notes with ChatGPT
ChatGPT turned a Reddit poster's caregiving tasks into a calendar CSV and a medication chart, but misread test results once.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseWrite a crochet pattern from a photo with ChatGPT and Claude (gave up)
ChatGPT and Claude couldn't turn a photo into a usable crochet pattern; Claude missed the tail and ears, so the maker gave up.
FailureChatGPT +1Evidence: Described by posterView CaseFact-check a Vienna trip plan from ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini
Checked against official sites, ChatGPT made no confirmed error in 21 facts, while Claude got 4 of 29 wrong and Gemini 6 of 15.
PartialChatGPT +2Evidence: Article or interviewView CasePlan a family week in Orlando and adjust it on the go with ChatGPT
ChatGPT planned Adrianne Kroll's family week in Orlando with meals and park tips, though one ride plan assumed perks they didn't have.
WorkedChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseCheck how long you can stay in a country visa-free, after ChatGPT gave the wrong limit (failure)
ChatGPT wrongly said Kazakhstan citizens could stay in Armenia for six months; the limit was three, and the poster overstayed.
FailureChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CaseFind leads on an 1800s Edinburgh ancestor's parents with ChatGPT
ChatGPT gave Janice Wellard new places to search for an ancestor's parents, but it read burgess roll dates wrong and repeated itself.
PartialChatGPTEvidence: Described by posterView CasePlan a month of ESL lessons with ChatGPT
Jim S. planned over forty ESL lessons with ChatGPT in 30 days and cut planning time by around 60%, but verbatim use fell flat.
WorkedChatGPT +1Evidence: Described by posterView Case