I used AI to plan my Costa Rica journey – why I'll by no means use it once more

In a world stuffed with AI skeptics, I’m cautiously optimistic concerning the unfold of synthetic intelligence. Sure, it has some darkish sides, like deepfakes (I imply, did you see what occurred to Taylor Swift?), job displacement, and AI-induced mental stagnation.

However I’d argue that each one new profitable applied sciences are disruptive (for instance, the Web, ride-sharing apps, and social media), ruining some facets of society whereas benefiting different areas.

Professional-AI proponents declare that AI will make our lives simpler, so I made a decision to check it. 5-day holidays are enjoyable, however creating an virtually week-long itinerary is even much less enjoyable No. So, for the primary time, I partially relied on ChatGPT to plan a Costa Rica journey with my accomplice — and I'm undecided I'll do it once more.

What I wished from my Costa Rica journey

There are 5 actions I wished to do in Costa Rica: zip lining, off-roading with ATVs, visiting La Paz waterfalls, food-sampling tour, and exploring San Jose. Nevertheless, it was the latter that I wanted assist probably the most, so I requested for the AI's assist.

Whereas I had scheduled 5 days for Costa Rica, realistically, we solely had three days to play. Why? I flew to San Jose, Costa Rica at 10 pm on Monday evening, making it too late to do something vital upon our arrival. And my return flight to New York was shortly after midnight on Friday, in order that day was over, too.

I managed to guide a food-sampling tour (“Bites & Sights”) on Tuesday, and I made preparations for zip lining and ATVing on Wednesday. We took a visit to La Paz Falls on Thursday. So, Tuesday – First Our 3pm food-sampling tour – was the one day we might take pleasure in some exploration of San Jose.

What I used to plan my Costa Rica journey

I used the free model of ChatGPT – ChatGPT 3.5, to plan my journey to San Jose.

My immediate:

“I'm staying on the URBN Escalante in San Jose, Costa Rica, and I wish to take a look at the sights, together with the very best locations for photographs and shopping for low-cost souvenirs. We'll find yourself in Los Presentes by 3 p.m. Need. I'm beginning at 9 a.m., not together with lunch. Checklist an itinerary.” (Remark: Los presents That is the place we have been requested to fulfill at 3 pm for the food-sampling tour.)

Chatgpt's response:

Beginning at 9am from URBN Escalante. Stroll across the neighborhood and have breakfast at an area café.

Head to the Central Market (Mercado Central) at 10 am. Discover the colourful markets, pattern native fruits and seize the colourful scenes in your photographs.

11:30am Make your strategy to Barrio Amón. Wander the streets admiring the historic structure and avenue artwork. Don't neglect to take some footage alongside the best way.

1:00 pm Go to the Mercado Nacional de Artesanias. Browse the stalls for cheap souvenirs resembling handicrafts, ceramics and native paintings.

End your buying at 2pm and head over to Misplaced Presents. Spend a while searching the collection of distinctive presents and souvenirs earlier than closing at 3pm

Arrive in Los Presentes at 3pm to finish your day of exploration and buying.

Why I’ll by no means belief ChatGPT once more

“Take a stroll across the neighborhood” was disappointingly imprecise. If I wished to wander round aimlessly, I wouldn't have requested ChatGPT to create an itinerary for me within the first place.

We noticed some enticing, Instagram-friendly murals in Barrio Escalante (the place we have been staying), so we have been shocked ChatGPT didn't point out them of their itinerary.

Additionally, I ought to have added “breakfast not included” to my signal, as a result of we already had some espresso and a muffin earlier than we headed out. but when we Did Desire a snack, it will be good if ChatGPT was “clever” sufficient to advocate it Particular This café is a favourite amongst locals and vacationers alike.

Anyway, we listened to Chatgpt and went to Mercado Central. At first look, we weren't impressed. It regarded like a typical, bustling Central American fresh-food market. And I used to be instantly struck by the odor of fish wafting within the air.

Braving the stench, we handed stalls of distributors promoting the whole lot from colourful black magic gadgets and chirping pet birds to scrumptious Costa Rican grub. Gallo Pinto (a preferred breakfast dish of rice and beans) and maduros (Candy bananas).

We additionally discovered a memento store, the place I purchased an exquisite picket mug with a beautiful design of a Costa Rican parrot. (Thus, we omitted the Mercado Nacional de Artesanias suggestion.)

Nevertheless, as I found later in my journey, I utterly underestimated the Mercado Central.

This time people defeated AI

I used to be a little bit upset with the Mercado Central, so when our Costa Rican “Bites & Sights” tour information led us Again At this I assumed, “Not once more!”

Nevertheless, the tour information rekindled our curiosity within the fresh-food market by offering some shocking historic context. For instance, we stopped at an ice cream stall – which we had ignored earlier – that regarded like an odd soft-serve store. Because it seems, the family-run, government-protected ice cream stall has been in existence since 1910, they usually've been serving the identical taste of ice cream for 114 years.

Its components embrace nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and vanilla, which give an fascinating yellow coloration. I tasted it, and it was completely divine.

you didn't inform us HeChatgpt.

Our tour information additionally really useful us to do that caldosa, ceviche Barbecue flavor-mixed with corn chips. Once we requested, “How did this recipe come about?” The tour information mentioned, “Faculty children! They'll throw chips Ceviche Throughout their lunch break. And in some way, this unusual thought unfold throughout the nation.”

One other gem ChatGPT didn't inform us about.

And that simply scratches the floor. There was numerous data shared by the tour information that we might not have been in a position to get by means of ChatGPT. We’d have handed by the Mercado Central, shrugged our shoulders, and thought it was simply one other ho-hum market. However because it seems, with the assistance of human being We received loads of data from the tour information that I’d have missed if I had relied solely on ChatGPT.

Even after asking ChatGPT to present us extra details about what precisely to search for contained in the Mercado Central, we didn't discover something vital that will have benefited our DIY tour.

How ChatGPT can turn out to be a helpful AI journey information

As I discussed at first, earlier than utilizing ChatGPT, I used to be really considerably optimistic about its capabilities. However after utilizing it to plan a day of my Costa Rica journey, I'm feeling upset.

Take into accout, I used to be utilizing the free tier of ChatGPT. And it's value noting that OpenAI, the group behind ChatGPT, additionally acknowledged that AI chatbots have turn out to be “lazy.” Its meandering itinerary was the equal of somebody vaguely pointing in random instructions after you requested for navigation help.

Versus “take a stroll round city” and “take a look at (one thing) the native café” Any In the event that they wish to be aimless wanderers can go on a visit), I would favor the chatgpt record Particular heat Location and dialogue level. Really, which block ought to I seek for? Are there any particular 5 star cafes I ought to go to?

ChatGPT's advice of Barrio Amón was nice for Instagrammable photographs, however we have been shocked that the AI ​​bot didn't counsel different lovely San Jose spots we visited, together with the ultra-popular “SJO ¡Vive!” Statues throughout town.

In fact, the human contact will at all times be higher than what AI can present, however in the intervening time, ChatGPT doesn't even come up. to shut What an actual tour information can provide. Hey, it's not even the identical Ballpark.

For now, with regards to creating itineraries, the scoreboard is people: 1 and AI: 0.

Topic
synthetic intelligence