Hi Reader,

Every Monday I bring you one thing worth knowing and one thing worth trying.

This week:
​ → Why AI guesses instead of saying "I don't know"
→ A 15-minute check to see how AI describes your business
→ Why your clients' words matter more than ever

Let's get into it.

The big thought...

AI chats like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude have a habit worth knowing about. When they don't know something, they rarely say so. They guess. And they guess with confidence.

Why? Think back to multiple-choice tests in school. A blank answer got you zero. A guess might get you a point. So you guessed.

AI learned the same way. In training, a confident answer is often rewarded, and "I don't know" earns nothing. So it learned to always answer.

The tech world calls this a hallucination. A made-up fact. A wrong date. And now that AI images have gotten so good, sometimes even a photo of someone who doesn't exist.

Here is what makes the most sense to me. A hallucination is a bridge. AI doesn't look things up in a database of facts. It predicts the most likely next word, then the next, based on patterns in everything it has been exposed to in its training.

When AI reaches the edge of what it knows, it keeps going anyway. It builds a way across the gap. As one article, referenced below put it, "sounds right" and "is right" are not the same thing.

It builds that bridge from what's standard. What most businesses like yours look like. What most people in your role sound like. To AI it's simple math.

If there is a gap in missing content. Say an article covers the beginning and end of your story strongly, but the middle is a little weak. AI decides what probably belongs there and fills it in.

Maybe the gap is because it doesn't fit what AI expects in the pattern. Perhaps there isn't enough proof behind what you're saying. You don’t quite follow the road it expects, so AI nudges you into the closest bucket. Either way, you end up getting lumped with other generic content.

You've spent a lot of time carving out your niche and building a brand that stands out, so you are not generic. Then AI clumps you right back into the collective thought.

I suggest you think about where your business is depicted clearly online. Is it your website? Or perhaps a Google profile with your hours and your reviews. A LinkedIn page that sounds like you today, with recent posts, articles or views. That is where AI finds you. The missing pieces it just fills in the

And it's not only your words that count. It's your clients' words too. Their reviews. Their stories. What changed because they worked with you.

That's often the clearest picture of who you really are.

Tell your story clearly. Or something else will tell it for you.

Worth your time this week.

Why Does AI Make Things Up? Hallucinations Explained (Alex Lowe) A plain-language look at why AI sounds sure of itself even when it's wrong. Read article

AI Local Business Recommendations Went From 6% To 45% In A Year (Bill Hartzer) More of your future clients are asking AI who to hire, and your reviews still matter. Read article

From the Studio

I ran this check on Kateology this week. One answer made me laugh. I asked ChatGPT about me in Temporary Chat. It showed me a photo. Not one of mine. It made one up. Full body and in a suit and it kinda looked like me, but it wasn’t.

There are two photos of me on my website. Both are headshots. Neither one is in a suit. My guess? It filled in what it "thinks" a marketing professional looks like. Then it took my image and turned me into one. OMG!

This was a small thing with this photo but what if someone else was searching or even worse that’s how people see me in my business.

So here is the check. It takes about 15 minutes.

Step 1: Start clean.
​ Open a fresh session so your own history and settings don't shape the answers.

• ChatGPT: turn on Temporary Chat.
• Claude: click the ghost icon in the upper right corner. You'll know it worked when you see a black border and an "Incognito chat" label.
• Gemini or Google: use a private browser window.

Not sure where to find these? Just ask. Type "How do I {insert content}?" and it will walk you through it. That works for almost anything in these tools.

Step 2: Ask the same questions in each tool.
​ Try Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and Google's AI Mode.

How do they describe you?

• "What do you know about [your business name]?"
• "Who is [your name]?"

Do they recommend you? Ask the way a client would, and leave your name out.

• "Who can help [your ideal client] with [what you do] in [your town]?"

Do they know your work?

• "What is [your signature program or method]?"

Step 3: Write down what you see.

• Were you named?
• Is it accurate and current?
• Who showed up instead?

Take screenshots. A wrong answer is still useful.

Step 4: Ask yourself one question.
​ Is this what I want to be known for?

If the answer is no, that is your starting point. Start simple. Start with what other people say about you.

Step 5: Show the proof.
​ AI doesn't only read what you say about yourself. It looks at what your clients say about you.

Customer proof can look like:

• Google reviews
• Facebook reviews
• Testimonials on your website
• Case studies or client stories
• Before-and-after results from a client assessment

When you ask for a review, ask your client to name the work. "She helped me set up my lead ads" tells AI far more than "Great to work with!"

A note to remember

The big platforms work like families.

Alphabet (Google's parent company) owns YouTube, Google Search, Google Business Profile, Gemini and more.
​Meta Platforms owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Meta AI and more.

If your clients find you on YouTube or Google, your Google reviews and Business Profile matter a lot. If they find you on Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp, your Facebook reviews carry more weight.

My thought: as AI is woven into each family, those connections will likely get stronger.

This isn't a rule. You don't need to be everywhere. Know where your people are, and make sure you're real there.

Do you know someone who would find this useful? Forward this email to them and they can subscribe below.

Prompt of the Week

This prompt turns your Studio check into a plan. Paste in what AI said about you, and it will tell you where to start.

Credit: from the Studio

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One thing to understand. One thing to try. That's the move.

You've got this. And now you've got the tools to prove it.

Kate Kozak

Kateology AI Studio | Kateology.ca

1400 Alta Lake Road, Whistler, BC V8E 0G9
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