In this episode I break down whether it’s actually worth paying for ChatGPT or sticking with the free tier. I walk through the concrete differences between free and Plus, talk honestly about what matters and what doesn’t, and explain why “worth it” is always subjective. This episode is less about convincing you and more about giving you enough clarity to decide for yourself. Main Topics Covered Why I avoided this episode Ethics and discomfort around paying for AI Why “worth it” is subjective Free vs Plus vs Pro tiers Why Pro is an immediate no What the free tier includes What the Plus tier unlocks What actually matters in real usage Usage caps, throttling, and limits Memory, Projects, Tasks, and Custom GPTs Who should and shouldn’t pay Trying Plus without commitment Where OpenAI might be headed Recent ChatGPT use: Computer science and coding deep-dive Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 11: WTF is a Custom GPT Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode, I share how a small, easily ignored setting completely changed ChatGPT’s responses…in a good way. I discuss the personalization settings, including base tone, custom instructions, memory, and advanced settings, and go into detail about how “programming” ChatGPT how to respond, immediately made for a WAY better user experience. If you’ve ever thought “this thing is fine but kind of annoying,” this episode is for you. Main Topics Covered Holiday and life updates Vacation recap and vibe coding course Revisiting Episode 9 and missed features Where to find personalization settings Base style and tone options Custom instructions and the interview prompt Brevity, hallucinations, and sycophancy Memory settings and management Recent ChatGPT use: Generating a new workout program Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 9: Helpful ChatGPT Features You Might Not Know About  Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode I break down why ChatGPT will never truly write like you and why that’s actually a good thing. We get into what makes a human voice alive and dynamic, how large language models work, and a few tactical ways to help ChatGPT write closer to your voice when you need it to.  Main Topics Covered Title choice and leading with the truth The big ask from the questionnaire Why ChatGPT will never write like you Your voice as a fingerprint and river 3 COR functions: clarifying, organizing, refining What a Voice Anchor is and how to create one Recent ChatGPT use: Charades and Catch Phrase Links & Resources for This Episode Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode I share my predictions on who I think will win this AI race, both as it relates to the users and the industry. I break down the three traits that I believe will set people up for success, then shift into my present-moment take on which company seems best positioned to wear the crown. Along the way I get into the environmental realities, the big emotions that keep popping up around AI, and how humans are always the biggest variable in any prediction. Main Topics Covered Environmental concerns and big emotions on Threads Three traits for winning the AI race  Art discourse and AI-generated art Humans as the variable Corporate winner prediction Need for age restrictions, energy considerations, and guardrails Democratization and the beach volleyball analogy Recent ChatGPT use: CLARITY acronym Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to MOTM #693: The Tenacity to Change Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode I break down how ChatGPT can support the process of writing and designing your sales pages. The conversation covers how Canvas works, how to feed ChatGPT the right input, and how to generate both the copy and a fully rendered mockup of your page. This episode clarifies what ChatGPT can actually do, what it can’t, and why it’s still an incredibly helpful tool for creating clear, effective sales pages. Main Topics Covered Gemini 3 release What Canvas is and how it works Why “make a sales page for me” doesn’t work Creating an offer outline with the 7Ps Prompts for generating sales page copy Prompts for rendering the sales page in Canvas Recent ChatGPT use: Lesson summaries and summary slides Links & Resources for This Episode Register for the webinar: ChatGPT for Online Business Owners Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode I break down what people often misunderstand about ChatGPT and what it can actually do. I walk through the hard technical limits, the most common errors users make, and then share simple ways to become more fluent so you can get the most out of the model. This episode also covers recent updates from OpenAI, along with why sometimes the best use case for ChatGPT is…not using it at all. Main Topics Covered Creativity follows fluency Lack of rapid advances in the tech Recent OpenAI updates Hard technical limits of ChatGPT Six biggest user errors Suggestions for improving ChatGPT fluency Recent ChatGPT use: How I used ChatGPT in Hawaii Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 9: Helpful ChatGPT Features You Might Not Know About Check out Curious Finds Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode I break down what NVIDIA is, why its GPUs (hint: these are the “chips” you hear so much about) became the backbone of the modern AI boom, and how CUDA locked in its dominance. The conversation moves from gaming history to trillion-dollar valuations and data centers stacked with H100s, offering a clear picture of why nearly every major AI system runs on NVIDIA hardware. Main Topics Covered What NVIDIA is NVIDIA’s role in the AI economy Founding story and naming Early GPUs and the GeForce 256  Researchers linking GPU math to AI math CUDA and the 2012 AlexNet breakthrough NVIDIA vs Google TPUs H100 chips and DGX Systems CUDA lock-In and why NVIDIA likely won’t be dethroned Recent ChatGPT use: Chris McCausland using AI to describe images Links & Resources for This Episode YouTube Video: Quick Tour of NVIDIA DGX H100 YouTube Video: Inside the Modern Data Center! SuperClusters at Applied Digital Watch Chris’ Reel Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode I dig into whether ChatGPT might get “Old Navy’d”, a concept that ties together capitalism, business strategy, and the evolving AI landscape. Using a Scott Galloway story about Gap and Old Navy as the jumping-off point, I explore what happens when a cheaper, “good-enough” alternative comes for the market leader. From Alibaba’s Qwen to DeepSeek’s leaner, lower-cost models, this episode unpacks the global economics of AI efficiency, U.S. protectionism, and what it would actually take for consumers, or companies, to switch away from OpenAI. Main Topics Covered The Prof G Markets podcast episode that sparked the idea The origin story of Old Navy and its positioning against Gap Alibaba’s Qwen and DeepSeek’s cheaper AI models Bruce Buchanan’s three-line economic model: perceived value, price, cost Why I think China is unlikely to dethrone OpenAI in the U.S. The “inside job” possibility of a smaller U.S. company creating a 90%-as-good model What could make users actually switch models (price vs. perceived value) The “Netflix effect” and why stagnation kills perceived value The Costco model: keep margins low and values clear Final take: OpenAI probably won’t get Old Navy’d anytime soon, but it should Recent ChatGPT use: Transcript research for this episode Links & Resources for This Episode Watch: How China’s AI Efficiency Could Gut the U.S. Economy – Prof G Markets Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

This episode breaks down how to use ChatGPT to handle repetitive computer tasks and free up more time to do the things that actually matter. From bolding text and summarizing writing to creating podcast show notes and automating client responses, I outline a practical five-step process for turning your ChatGPT Projects into reliable digital assistants. Let the robots do the work! Main Topics Covered Why repetitive tasks are perfect for ChatGPT Examples of ChatGPT handling Maestro’s own tasks An overview of Projects The five-step process for automating repetitive tasks Understanding “drift” and keeping your instructions updated Using AI as an assistant, not a replacement Comparing ChatGPT Projects and Claude Skills When to use a Custom GPT instead of a Project Recent ChatGPT use: Researching health insurance options Links & Resources for This Episode Check Out My Other Blog, Maestro Musings Listen to Ep. 11: WTF is a Custom GPT? Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode of ChatGPT Curious I walk you through OpenAI’s newest release, Atlas, a web browser launched October 21st for Mac users. I cover how to set it up, what you can actually do with it, and why I think it’s largely redundant to ChatGPT itself. This episode unpacks both the function and business play (in my opinion) behind Atlas, and how it might be signaling an AI slow-down. Main Topics Covered Introduction to Atlas Setup and initial questions Interface overview (Home, Globe, Images, Videos, News) Emphasizing agent mode My early impressions of redundancy and money motives Concerns about unbundling features Highlights and bugs from personal testing The “Ask ChatGPT” feature in action My two pennies on the future of AI tools Recent ChatGPT use: Rachel’s Gemini Win Links & Resources for This Episode Read the Atlas release note from OpenAI Listen to Ep. 7 – What is AI? Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

This episode lays out exactly how to start using ChatGPT (in two super simple steps), for even the most beginner of users. I break down why using the tool is the best way to understand and critique it, share my take on AI as an equalizer, and walk through a surprisingly useful feature called “Schedules”. Let’s get curious. Main Topics Covered Why this episode exists (for true beginners) How ChatGPT can possibly level the playing field Two simple steps for getting started The goal: using AI to reclaim human time Recent ChatGPT use: Nest Cam + the Schedules feature Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 10: Are We In an AI Bubble? Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode of ChatGPT Curious, we break down OpenAI’s newest release: Sora 2, the text-to-video model now living in its own app, Sora. From how diffusion models work to what the new invite-only platform looks like, we’re covering the tech, the ethics, and the implications. You’ll learn how Sora 2 generates videos, why it’s a big deal (for better and worse), and what it means for the future of AI-generated media. Main Topics Covered What Sora 2 is and how it works Diffusion explained (drop of dye in water analogy) Denoising and the Willy Wonka comparison The difference between training and generation SlopTok? Sora app features and invite system Opt-out policy and data control issues Compute cost and environmental impact Deepfakes, realism, and misinformation risks Personal takeaways and ethical concerns Recent ChatGPT use: Sora prompt + Repairing the wine fridge Links & Resources for This Episode Watch the Sora video that I “made” Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode we dig into why ChatGPT sometimes gives you garbage outputs and what you can do about it. From hallucinations and drift to bad prompts and long chats, we’ll cover the common pitfalls, what to do when it sucks, and how the imperfections of AI might actually be keeping your own skills sharp. Main Topics Covered WTF moments with bad ChatGPT outputs Why it’s math, not magic (probability, tokens, predictions) Hallucinations and why “AI slop” happens Improving your prompts Memory checks and correcting drift When to start a new chat The importance of knowing your own stuff Skills-of-operation vs skills-of-understanding Historical parallels: calculators, smartphones, cameras A solution to the concern about outsourcing thinking and expression Weekly use case: Joe’s meal planning with ChatGPT Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 1: What You Actually Need to Know about ChatGPT Listen to Ep. 8: Getting ChatGPT to Do What You Want Listen to Ep. 9: Helpful ChatGPT Features You Might Not Know About Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

This episode is all about custom GPTs: What they are, what they can do, and how to “build” one. If you’ve ever wished you could clone yourself, this is basically how you do it. In this episode I share how I created my own ChatGP-TA for the Instagram Intensive, the files and instructions I used to make it sound like me, and the simple steps you can take to “clone yourself” without writing a single line of code. Along the way we talk vectors, transformers, input quality, and how to set capabilities so your Custom GPT does exactly what you want. Main Topics Covered GPT definition refresher: generative, pretrained, transformer How transformers work: tokens, vectors, and context Definition of a Custom GPT and why it’s like “cloning yourself” Example: building a Custom GPT (ChatGP-TA) for the Instagram Intensive Files and instructions used to train it (outlines, sales page, emails) Using Projects vs the GPT Builder (create + configure modes) Importance of context and instructions for best outputs Capabilities and settings (internet access, file uploads, toggles) Use cases and limitations of custom GPTs How Kate uses ChatGPT vs Claude Links & Resources for This Episode Ep. 1: What You Actually Need to Know About ChatGPT GPTs FAQ in the Open AI Help Center Open AI’s GPT Builder Ep. 6: An Intro to Using ChatGPT to Create Content Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

This episode takes a look at the hype surrounding AI and asks a simple question: Are we in a bubble? Spoiler alert: ABSOLUTELY. To make sense of it, I dig into the history of the dot-com boom and bust, walk through today’s AI financials, and explore what it might mean for companies, investors, and everyday people like you and me. Main Topics Covered Audience Q: ChatGPT vs. Gemini What a bubble actually is Story of the dot-com bubble Today’s AI numbers: OpenAI and Anthropic How greed fuels investment Oracle’s $300B OpenAI deal and “jumping the shark” Neuro-symbolic AI and Gary Marcus Who loses when the bubble bursts How I used ChatGPT this week: Agent mode for car rentals Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 2: ChatGPT and the Environment: Energy, Water, and Carbon Emissions Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous? Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode of ChatGPT Curious I share a handful of ChatGPT features that you might not know about, and that I think you might find genuinely useful. These aren’t “hidden gems” or shiny distractions, they’re tools and settings I personally use and that I believe can improve both your user experience and the model’s outputs. From release notes and memory controls to project settings and the surprisingly powerful Study Mode, this is a practical tour of features that can actually make a difference. Main Topics Covered ChatGPT Release Notes and how to find them Personalization settings (desktop + mobile) Managing and customizing memory Personality modes and interaction styles Customizing ChatGPT’s voice options Projects, project-only memory, and instructions Study Mode: toggle vs. manual prompting How I used ChatGPT this week: lifting cycle + exercise swaps Links & Resources for This Episode Check out ChatGPT Release Notes Listen to Ep. 6: An Intro to Using ChatGPT for Content Creation Listen to Ep. 3: Is ChatGPT Killing Creativity? Listen to Ep. 8: Getting ChatGPT to Do What You Want Connect with me on Instagram Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous?  Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode we’re talking about what it really takes to get ChatGPT to do what you want. From clarifying your own thoughts to understanding the basics of prompting, this is a how-to guide without the hoopla. Really though, it’s not that serious. Whether you're asking it to write an email or act as your assistant, specificity and clarity are the name of the game. Main Topics Covered Prompting = communication Why prompt obsession is overblown Why I don’t give you “best prompt” templates Never ask it to create from scratch Quality input = Quality output The 7 Clarity Items Bonus strategies to try Reverse prompting recap Where ChatGPT still falls short Relational fuckery and AI How I used it this week: Model switching Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep. 6: An Introduction to Using ChatGPT for Content Creation Check out @inquisitive_human on Instagram Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous?  Click here to support the podcast.

This episode is about giving you a clear, simple definition of a word that gets thrown around constantly: AI. You’re hearing it in every commercial, on every app, and in every new feature rollout. But what is it, really? I share a plain-language definition — “software that can guess” — contrast everyday examples of AI with simple automation, and give quick context on where the term came from, how regulating agencies define it, what is meant by “agents” and “AGI”, and how close we realistically are to what Terminator predicted. (Spoiler, not close at all.) Main Topics Covered Creating informed consumers “AI is…” exercise A colloquial, plain-language definition for AI Things That Are AI vs Things That Are NOT AI AI as a kitchen sink marketing term AI origin story: John McCarthy + the Dartmouth proposal Official definitions from OECD and NIST Understanding autonomy and “AI agents” The forecast on AGI: artificial general intelligence How I used ChatGPT this week: bulkhead light and bulb hunt Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to Ep 1: Everything You Actually Need to Know About ChatGPT Listen to Ep 4: Overhyped or Underestimated: Is ChatGPT Coming for Your Job? Read the proposal for the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous?  Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode I give an introduction to using ChatGPT for content creation with a focus on practical strategies for repurposing your own work. You’ll hear about reverse prompting, using Projects to save instructions, and how to keep your taste and voice at the center of what you create. Main Topics Covered Recent ChatGPT outages and possible reasons Experimenting with Gemini and Google’s AI summary tool Viewing everything as content When using ChatGPT for content creation makes sense Suggested steps for creating content Picking a format, repurposing content, and reverse prompting Utilizing the ‘Projects’ feature Recent ChatGPT use: German translator Links & Resources for This Episode Listen to ep. 1: What You Actually Need to Know About ChatGPT Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous?  Click here to support the podcast.

In this episode, I dig into whether you can trust ChatGPT, and what that question reveals about trust in general. From model changes and user backlash to the three pillars of trust (benevolence, integrity, competency), I share why double-checking is anon-negotiable and how personal responsibility plays into using AI. We talk about media incentives, misinformation, and why “important” is a slippery, subjective word when it comes to verifying the answers that ChatGPT gives you. Main Topics Covered User reactions and model changes after GPT-5 rollout ChatGPT as an assistant for known answers What “hallucination” actually mean The importance of verifying information Trust and misinformation online Social media’s role in shaping belief Media incentives for clicks over accuracy The foundations and four components of expertise The three components of trust Applying the trust framework to ChatGPT Where personal responsibility fits in Recent ChatGPT use: Suggestion mode and sentence checks Links & Resources for This Episode Subscribe to the ChatGPT Curious Newsletter: The Curious Companion Submit a Question Visit the Website Feeling curious AND generous?  Click here to support the podcast.