Three Simple Ways to Make ChatGPT Outputs More Accurate

The challenge with ChatGPT is that it's not always reliable. The way in which the model works (predicting the next word based on its training) means that it will sometimes give you incorrect or downright nonsensical responses that sound plausible.

However, there are a few simple ways in which you can output better responses. Let's go through them in turn.

#1: Ask it to only respond using reliable sources which it should also cite.

In the same way that when we write essays we need to say where our information comes from, we can ask ChatGPT to do the same thing. Remember that it's trained on the internet's data up until 2021 so any sources beyond that will likely not be available.

By writing a prompt such as: 'Is the earth flat? Answer only using reliable sources and cite those sources', the model will give you quotes and acknowledgements from NASA.

#2: Force it to give you its reasoning

By forcing the model to think in steps you can get far more accurate and detailed responses. Think of it like questioning a student to get it to give their rationale for their ideas. The deeper you go, the more you make it think.

You should first define the paramaters of this exchange. You can do this by including this initial prompt:

Use this format:

Q: <repeat question>

A: Let's think step by step.

<give reasoning> Therefore, the answer is <final answer>

What you're doing is asking ChatGPT to answer in a specific format and to fill in the blanks indicated by the parentheses.

By including this after your initial question 'is the earth flat' you will get a response like this:

Q: Is the earth flat?

A: Let's think step by step. The shape of the Earth can be determined by observing the shadow it casts during a lunar eclipse, measuring the curvature of the Earth's surface, and analyzing the deflection of starlight passing near the Earth. The scientific evidence gathered from these observations, as well as from satellite imagery and global navigation, all indicate that the Earth is not a flat surface, but an oblate spheroid, meaning it is slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator. Therefore, the answer is no, the Earth is not flat.

The model is thinking in a more rational, logical way, which is what we want it to do.

#3: Ask it if there is anything factually incorrect in its response

This one is simple, as it is asking the model to review its response. You can use this after any response just to check if you're not convinced it's got the answer totally correct.

To do this, simply write 'Is there anything factually incorrect in this response?' once the model has outputted.

By using these three additional prompts, you should find your responses are more accurate and truthful. However, nothing beats checking yourself, as the 'human in the loop' approach is usually the best option. More on that in later articles.

If you've found any other ways to increase the accuracy of ChatGPT please do share them in comments.