ChatGPT FAQs

Curious about whether ChatGPT can help you write code? Or maybe you want to know if ChatGPT can help you write a children’s story. Or an email to your boss.

Maybe you’re concerned about privacy. And while we’re on the topic, how reliable and up to date is ChatGPT anyway?

Here are 13 of the most frequently asked questions users have about ChatGPT—with super-detailed answers and helpful prompts—to help you get the most out of your AI assistant.

1. How do I get the most accurate or helpful answers from ChatGPT?

• Be as specific as possible with your questions, and provide context or background information if necessary. The more details you give, the more tailored and useful the response will be. For example, you can ask, “What types of content should be included in a technical writing portfolio to help me get noticed by recruiters and actually get hired?”

2. What should I do if the response is unclear or incomplete?

• Ask follow-up questions or request further explanation. You can also ask ChatGPT to provide clarification with examples to better understand the response. For example, you can say, “Explain in simple terms what API documentation is with examples.”

3. Can ChatGPT understand multiple languages?

• Yes, ChatGPT can understand and respond in multiple languages. If you want to switch to a different language, simply ask, and ChatGPT will adjust accordingly. For example, you can say, “Please switch our chat to Spanish” or “Please switch our chat back to English.”

4. Is ChatGPT capable of doing complex tasks like coding or math?

• Yes, ChatGPT can assist with coding, solving math problems, and providing explanations for technical concepts. As of March 27, 2025, OpenAI has made improvements to GPT-4o that include smarter coding capabilities and enhanced problem-solving in STEM. However, for highly specialized tasks or very complex code, it may not always be perfect, so always verify the results. For example, you can say, “Write a [language] program that [performs task] using [library or algorithm].”

5. How do I ask for creative writing, such as stories or poems?

• To get creative content, provide ChatGPT with a prompt or idea. For example, you can say, “Write a short story about a robot learning to love” or “Create a poem about the beauty of nature.” When writing your prompt, be as specific and detailed as needed. If you’re looking for a very specific output, your prompt will likely need to be longer and more detailed. For example, “Write a short children’s story about a unicorn with wings. One day, a young girl stumbles across this unique and beautiful unicorn in the woods. Eventually, they establish trust, and the unicorn lets the young girl ride on her back. They go on adventures together, flying around the kingdom visiting other unusual animals. In the end, the girl and the unicorn become best friends.”

6. Can I use ChatGPT for business or professional tasks?

• Yes! ChatGPT can help with writing emails, drafting business plans, generating reports, brainstorming ideas, and more. For example, you can say, “Help me write a short and polite email to my colleague letting them know I need to reschedule our meeting.” It's important to keep in mind that ChatGPT's advice is based on patterns and information available up to its knowledge cutoff date. This means the information is sometimes outdated, so always verify critical business decisions. And, to ensure confidentiality, be sure to leave out any proprietary information or trade secrets from your ChatGPT conversations and prompts.

7. Is ChatGPT always up to date with the latest information?

• Yes, mostly. ChatGPT's knowledge is based on data up until its last update (June 2024 as of this writing). ChatGPT now has real-time access to the internet, so if you ask it a question that requires current information, it can search the web for you. If you ever want to double-check that something’s fresh, just say, “Can you check if that’s still true?” or “Get the latest info,” and ChatGPT will pull it from the web.

8. How do I ensure privacy and security while using ChatGPT?

• Avoid sharing sensitive personal information, passwords, or private data with ChatGPT. It's a good idea to keep conversations general unless you’re sure the content is not sensitive.

9. Can ChatGPT remember previous conversations?

• Yes, in some cases. As of February 13, 2024, ChatGPT can retain memory between sessions, so it can “remember” past conversations after the chat ends. However, you need to be logged into your ChatGPT account if you want ChatGPT to remember your previous conversations. If you are not logged in, then each new session is like starting with a clean slate. You also have the option to enable or disable chat memory in your ChatGPT settings. For more information on enabling and disabling chat memory, see: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8590148-memory-faq.

10. Can ChatGPT generate images, videos, or other media?

• As of March 25, 2025, ChatGPT can generate photorealistic images through its advanced image generator, GPT‑4o. While ChatGPT can generate images, it does not currently have the capability to generate video or audio natively.

11. How can I make ChatGPT more conversational or friendly?

• If you want a more casual or friendly tone, just ask! You can say, “Can we chat casually?” or “Let’s keep it lighthearted.” ChatGPT can adapt to your preferred style.

12. What if ChatGPT gives a wrong or inappropriate answer?

• While ChatGPT aims to provide accurate and appropriate responses, it isn’t perfect. If you notice something wrong or inappropriate, simply ask for clarification, correct it, or rephrase your request.

13. Can ChatGPT help with learning new skills or subjects?

• Absolutely! Whether it’s learning a new language, understanding a concept, or getting help with studying, ChatGPT can explain topics, give examples, and answer questions in many subjects. For example, you can say, “Using the Pareto Principle, where 20% of my effort results in 80% of my success, create a learning plan for Python that would help me reach Intermediate level in 60 hours.”

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Sources Consulted

1. LearnPrompt.org. “Mastering coding challenges with AI: A comprehensive guide to using ChatGPT prompts for coding tasks.” https://www.learnprompt.org/chat-gpt-prompts-for-coding/.

2. OpenAI. 2025. “ChatGPT release notes, March 27, 2025.” OpenAI Help Center. https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6825453-chatgpt-release-notes#h_0776d514e7.

3. OpenAI. 2025. “Is ChatGPT always up to date with the latest information?” ChatGPT, April 13, 2025. https://chat.openai.com.

4. OpenAI. 2024. “Memory FAQ.” OpenAI Help Center. https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8590148-memory-faq.

5. OpenAI. 2024. “Introducing 4o image generation.” https://openai.com/index/introducing-4o-image-generation/.

6. Speaktor. “Can ChatGPT generate audio?” https://speaktor.com/can-chatgpt-generate-audio/.

7. Synthesia. “FAQs: All your ChatGPT video questions answered.” https://www.synthesia.io/tools/gpt-3-video-generator.