While custom GPTs are powerful tools that can enhance productivity and streamline workflows, there are specific scenarios where their use is not appropriate or effective. One key area is declarative knowledge. Understanding why this is the case requires us to distinguish between three types of knowledge:
The Three Types of Knowledge
1. Declarative Knowledge: Refers to factual information or knowledge about concepts, events, and things—essentially the "what" of knowledge. Examples include knowing the capital of France is Paris or that water boils at 100°C.
2. Procedural Knowledge: Represents "how-to" knowledge, encompassing the skills and steps required to perform tasks or activities—essentially the "know-how." Examples include knowing how to solve a math problem or how to set up a Moodle course.
3. Metacognitive Knowledge: Involves awareness and understanding of one's cognitive processes and strategies for learning and problem-solving—essentially "thinking about thinking." Examples include recognizing when a different study technique is needed or planning how to approach a complex problem.
Why Custom GPTs Should Not Be Used for Declarative Knowledge
Custom GPTs are excellent for handling procedural and metacognitive knowledge because these areas involve process-oriented or strategic tasks that can be structured, tested, and iterated upon. However, when it comes to declarative knowledge, GPTs can pose a significant risk due to their tendency to hallucinate information.
1. Accuracy Challenges: GPTs can fabricate information that sounds plausible but is factually incorrect. Unlike procedural or metacognitive tasks, where outputs can be evaluated against established steps or strategies, declarative facts must be manually verified.
2. Time Inefficiency: Verifying every single fact provided by a GPT defeats the purpose of seeking assistance. Instead of saving time, it creates additional work, as each response must be cross-checked for accuracy.
3. Risk of Misinformation: In environments where accuracy is critical—such as client communication or documentation—using GPTs for declarative knowledge introduces the potential for error, which could harm credibility and trust.
Practical Guidance
To ensure effective use of custom GPTs:
- Use them for procedural knowledge to outline steps, draft processes, or guide tasks.
- Leverage them for metacognitive knowledge to brainstorm strategies, refine problem-solving approaches, or plan workflows.
- Avoid using them for declarative knowledge. For factual information, rely on trusted sources or perform manual research to ensure accuracy.
By focusing GPT use on areas where it excels and avoiding scenarios where it introduces risk, we can maximize its value while maintaining the integrity and reliability of our work.