When AI Advice Goes Bad

We recently heard from someone in a panic. Their website was down, email wasn’t working, and orders had stopped. The problem? They had asked ChatGPT how to add a service to their site. Among other tips, it mentioned modifying their DNS records. So they did—without realizing what DNS does or how it touches nearly everything tied to their domain.

To be fair, AI wasn’t wrong. It gave good advice—within the context of the chat. But without knowing the full setup, things can go sideways fast.

We’re not anti-AI. Quite the opposite—we use it every day to help us write, plan, analyze, and solve problems faster. In fact, we encourage our clients to use tools like ChatGPT, especially when it helps them:

• Generate ideas for blog posts or FAQs
• Understand marketing terms or tech jargon
• Brainstorm product descriptions or headlines
• Explore ways to improve SEO or site performance
• Draft responses to customer questions

But when it comes to taking action, especially on things like DNS, web hosting, or platform updates, it’s worth pausing. AI doesn’t know what your particular environment looks like. It won’t know if your site is using Cloudflare, whether your mail is handled by Google Workspace or Outlook, or if there’s a legacy integration hiding in the background. We do. Here’s how we think about it:

• Use AI for first drafts, brainstorming, and exploration.
• Use us when you’re about to press a button you’re not sure about.
• Or better yet—loop us in as part of the process. We’re happy to advise, review, or jump in when needed.

AI is a great tool. So are we. Use both.