When NOT to Use AI: Knowing the Limits (And Why James Still Calls His Doctor)

By Vivienne Westwood

James in Poundbury had been reading Tech Tuesday for a few weeks.

He'd learned about ChatGPT, tried a few different AI chatbots, and was getting comfortable with the technology.

Then he woke up one morning with chest pains.

His first thought? "I could ask ChatGPT what this might be."

His second thought? "Actually, no. I should call my GP."

James made the right call.

Not because AI is always wrong. But because there are times when AI isn't the right tool for the job. And knowing when NOT to use AI is just as important as knowing when to use it.

The Emergency Rule

Let's start with the obvious one.

If something is urgent, potentially dangerous, or could get worse quickly, don't ask AI. Get professional help.

• Chest pains? Call 111 or 999.

• Sudden severe headache? Don't Google it or ask ChatGPT. Get medical attention.

• Legal trouble? Speak to a solicitor, not an AI chatbot.

• House fire? Call the fire brigade, not an AI assistant.

This should be common sense, but it's worth saying clearly: AI is not a replacement for emergency services or urgent professional help.

When you need a professional opinion that matters AI can give you information. It can't give you professional advice that you can rely on legally or medically.

Here's what that means in practice:

Medical decisions. AI can help you understand what a medical term means. It can't diagnose you, and you shouldn't make treatment decisions based on what it tells you. That's what doctors are for.

Legal matters. AI can help you understand a legal concept. It can't give you legal advice for your specific situation. That's what solicitors are for.

Financial planning. AI can help you understand what an ISA is or how pensions work. It can't tell you whether to invest in a particular fund or make a major financial decision. That's what financial advisers are for.

Building work. AI can give you general information about building regulations. It can't tell you whether your specific extension needs planning permission. That's what architects and planning consultants are for.

The pattern here is simple: AI is great for learning and understanding. It's terrible for making decisions that could significantly affect your health, wealth, or legal standing.

When Human Judgement Is Essential

Some situations need human judgement, human empathy, and human accountability.

Relationship advice. AI can help you think through a problem. It can't understand the nuances of your thirty-year marriage or tell you whether to leave your partner. That requires human wisdom, preferably from someone who knows you.

Parenting decisions. AI can give you information about childhood development. It can't tell you how to handle your specific child's specific situation. That requires parental judgement and sometimes professional support.

Grief and serious mental health. AI can provide general information about coping strategies. It's not a replacement for counselling, therapy, or talking to someone who cares about you.

Employment disputes. AI can help you understand employment law. It can't navigate the politics of your specific workplace or tell you whether to escalate a complaint. That needs human judgement and often union or legal support.

Ethical dilemmas. AI can present different perspectives. It can't make moral decisions for you. Some things require human conscience.

When You Need Current Local Information

AI chatbots have a knowledge cut off. They don't know what happened yesterday or what's happening today.

This means AI is terrible for:

Current news. "What happened at the council meeting last night?" AI doesn't know. Check the local news or the council website.

Live information. "Is the A35 closed today?" AI can't tell you. Check traffic updates (our site is great for that) Here: or radio.

Recent changes. "Did the Poundbury pharmacy change its opening hours?" AI might have old information. Call them or check their website.

Local events. "What's on at Pavilion in the Park this weekend?" AI probably doesn't know. Check What's On or the PiP directly.

Current prices. "How much does the butcher charge for lamb chops now?" AI can't tell you current prices. Go and ask.

If the information you need is time-sensitive or hyper-local, AI probably doesn't have it. Use other sources.

When You're Dealing With Sensitive Information

We covered this in last week's privacy article, but it's worth repeating here.

Don't use AI for:

Work documents that are confidential or proprietary. If your employer wouldn't want you emailing it to someone outside the company, don't paste it into an AI chatbot.

Other people's personal information. Your neighbor's health problems, your friend's financial situation, your colleague's divorce. Not your information to share.

Anything that could identify children. School reports, medical records, photos. Be very careful with information about minors.

Passwords, account numbers, or security information. This should be obvious, but never put genuinely sensitive credentials into AI.

If you're handling information that could cause harm if it became public, AI chatbots aren't the right place for it.

When You Need Something Done, Not Just Discussed

AI is brilliant at helping you think through problems. It's useless at actually doing physical things.

This seems obvious, but people sometimes forget:

• AI can help you plan a workout routine. It can't do the workout for you.

• AI can help you draft a difficult email. It can't send it for you or deal with the response.

• AI can help you think through a career change. It can't hand in your notice or apply for jobs on your behalf.

• AI can help you plan a garden redesign. It can't dig the beds or plant the roses.

• AI can help you understand a recipe. It can't cook the meal.

If your problem requires physical action, manual work, or face-to-face interaction, AI can only ever be a planning tool. The actual doing is still up to you.

When You Just Need to Talk to a Human

Sometimes you don't need information. You need human connection.

You're feeling lonely. AI can chat with you, but it's not the same as having tea with a friend or calling your sister.

You've had a terrible day. AI can be sympathetic, but it doesn't really understand. You need to talk to someone who cares about you.

You want to celebrate something. AI can say "congratulations," but it can't buy you a drink or give you a hug.

You need reassurance. AI can provide logical reassurance, but sometimes you need to hear a familiar voice say "it'll be alright."

You're processing grief. AI can provide information about grief. It cannot grieve with you or hold space for your sadness.

Technology is a tool. It's not a substitute for human relationships.

What AI Is Actually Good For

After all those warnings, let's remember what AI is excellent at:

• Learning new topics where stakes are low. Want to understand how photosynthesis works? AI is brilliant.

• Drafting and brainstorming. Need help writing an email, planning a project, or thinking through options? AI excels here.

• Explaining complex things simply. AI can break down complicated topics into understandable chunks.

• Quick research starting points. AI can give you a foundation to build on, then you verify with authoritative sources.

• Generating ideas. Stuck on what to cook for dinner or how to organize your garage? AI is great for inspiration.

• Understanding how things work. AI is patient and never makes you feel stupid for asking basic questions.

The key is knowing what you're using it for and what its limits are.

What James Did

Back to James and his chest pains.

He called his GP. Turned out it was acid reflux, not a heart attack. His doctor gave him advice, checked his blood pressure, and put his mind at ease.

"I'm glad I didn't just ask ChatGPT," James told me later. "It might have said it could be anything from indigestion to a heart attack, and I'd have spent the whole day worrying. Better to get actual medical advice."

After his appointment, James did use AI for something: understanding what acid reflux actually is and what foods might trigger it.

That's the right use of AI. Learning about something after you've got professional advice, not instead of getting it.

The Balance You're Looking For

AI is a tool. Like any tool, it's good for some jobs and terrible for others.

You wouldn't use a hammer to paint a wall or a paintbrush to drive in a nail. Same principle applies here.

Use AI for information, learning, brainstorming, and thinking things through.

Don't use AI for emergencies, professional advice that matters, current local information, or as a replacement for human relationships.

Know the difference, and you'll get the most out of the technology without relying on it for things it can't do.

Simple Rules to Remember

• Don't use AI for: Emergencies, medical diagnosis, legal advice, financial decisions that matter

• Do use AI for: Learning, understanding concepts, brainstorming, drafting

• Don't use AI for: Current news, live information, local events happening now

• Do use AI for: Background research, explaining how things work, breaking down complex topics

• Don't use AI for: Confidential work, other people's private information, sensitive data

• Do use AI for: Your own learning, thinking through your own problems, improving your own writing

• Don't use AI instead of: Calling your doctor, talking to a friend, getting professional help

• Do use AI alongside: Professional advice, human relationships, your own judgement

  
  

The Bottom Line

James didn't use AI instead of calling his doctor. He used it after talking to his doctor to learn more.

That's the key.

AI isn't a replacement for doctors, solicitors, financial advisers, or friends. It's a tool for learning and thinking.

Use it well, and it's incredibly helpful. Use it for the wrong things, and it's at best useless and at worst dangerous.

Know the limits. Respect the limits. And you'll get the most out of the technology.

Next week: AI in Daily Life - Practical Uses You Might Not Have Thought Of

Got a Tech Tuesday question or suggestion? Email tech@lovepoundbury.org