Learn how to use AI and ChatGPT to organize choices, define decision criteria, compare advantages and risks, identify overlooked questions, and make thoughtful decisions based on your own circumstances.

When a Decision Feels Difficult, Start with the Criteria

We make decisions every day.

Some are simple, such as deciding what to buy or which task to do first.

Others require more thought because they involve work, money, learning, future plans, or other important parts of life.

A decision can be difficult simply because there are too many choices.

But sometimes the real problem is that we don't know how to compare those choices.

For example, should you compare two options by price alone, or should you also consider time, risk, convenience, and long-term effects?

This is where AI can help.

Rather than asking AI to make the final decision for you, you can use it to structure choices and make the comparison process clearer.

How Can AI Help with Decision-Making?

AI can support several parts of the decision-making process.

Organize options
It can put the choices you are considering into a clear structure.

Identify criteria
It can suggest factors such as cost, time, convenience, risk, and long-term impact.

Build comparison tables
Looking at several options using the same criteria can make differences easier to see.

Challenge your thinking
You can ask AI to argue against the option you already prefer.

Find missing questions
AI can help identify information you may want to verify before making a final decision.

Six Steps to Make Better Decisions with AI

Step 1. Define the Decision in One Sentence

First, make the decision itself clear.

For example:

❌ “I don't know what I should do.”

is less useful than:

⭕ “I need to decide which of these two options is more suitable for my current situation.”

A clearly defined question gives both you and AI a better starting point.

You can ask:

“Rewrite the decision I need to make as one clear question. Do not add information that I haven't provided.”

Step 2. List the Realistic Options

Write down the choices you are seriously considering.

For example:

Option A
Continue with the current plan.

Option B
Switch to a different approach.

Option C
Change only part of the plan.

Not every decision has to be limited to two choices.

In some situations, postponing the decision or choosing not to proceed may also be worth considering.

You can ask:

“List the realistic options I should consider in this situation and explain when each option might be appropriate.”

Step 3. Decide What Matters Most

This may be the most important part of the process.

The best choice isn't the same for everyone.

One person may prioritize cost, while another may care more about time or convenience.

Possible criteria include:

• Cost
• Time
• Convenience
• Effort required
• Risk
• Long-term impact
• Stability
• Impact on others

You can ask:

“Suggest seven important criteria for evaluating this decision and briefly explain why each one matters.”

You do not have to use all of them.

The important thing is to select the criteria that actually matter in your situation.

Step 4. Compare the Options Using the Same Criteria

Now compare each choice using the same framework.

For example:

A comparison table can reduce the amount of information you have to hold in your head at once.

You can ask:

“Compare these options using cost, time, convenience, risk, and long-term impact. If information is missing, write ‘needs verification’ instead of guessing.”

That final instruction is important.

Rather than asking AI to fill gaps automatically, ask it to separate known information from information that still needs to be checked.

Step 5. Look for the Opposite View

Once you start favoring one choice, it can be useful to deliberately examine the other side.

For example:

“I'm leaning toward Option A. Give me objective reasons why Option A might not be the best choice.”

You can also ask:

“What important conditions, assumptions, or risks might I be overlooking?”

The purpose is not to assume that AI's criticism is correct.

It is to give your own reasoning one more review before you decide.

Step 6. Make the Final Judgment Yourself

Even after comparing everything carefully, there may not be a perfect answer.

We cannot know the future with certainty.

So ask yourself:

Does this choice actually fit my circumstances?

Then consider:

• What matters most to me right now?
• How much risk can I reasonably accept?
• Can I reverse the decision later?
• Is any important information still missing?
• What could the long-term consequences be?

Even when AI provides a well-organized comparison, the final decision still needs to reflect your own circumstances and priorities.

A Practical Example

Imagine you need to choose between Option A and Option B.

Instead of asking:

“Which one is better?”

start with:

“I need to choose between A and B. What information should I compare before deciding?”

Then ask:

“Organize those questions by cost, time, risk, and long-term impact.”

Next:

“Using only the information I provided, compare A and B. Do not guess when information is missing.”

Finally:

“I am leaning toward A. Review my decision from the opposite perspective and identify what I should double-check.”

This process is more useful than asking AI for a simple yes-or-no answer because it helps clarify how you are making the decision, not just what answer you receive.

10 Ready-to-Use ChatGPT Prompts

1. Define the problem

Rewrite the decision I need to make as one clear question.

2. List the options

List the realistic options I should consider in this situation.

3. Find decision criteria

Suggest seven important criteria for evaluating this decision and explain why each matters.

4. Build a comparison table

Compare these options based on cost, time, convenience, risk, and long-term impact.

5. Identify missing information

Separate what we know from what still needs to be verified before making this decision.

6. Challenge my preference

I am leaning toward this option. Give me objective reasons why I might not want to choose it.

7. Check the risks

Identify the major risks or possible negative consequences of this choice.

8. Find missing questions

What important questions should I answer before making the final decision?

9. Consider long-term effects

Compare the possible short-term and long-term effects of these options.

10. Final review

Create a final checklist I can use before making this decision.

Common Decision-Making Mistakes

Choosing the Option with the Most Advantages

More advantages do not automatically mean that an option is the best fit for you.

What matters is how well it matches your most important criteria.

Waiting for Perfect Information

Complete information is not always possible.

Identify the information that truly affects the decision and verify those points first.

Asking AI Only to Confirm Your Choice

Instead of asking, “Am I right?” ask AI to challenge your preferred option.

Looking Only at Short-Term Results

A convenient short-term option may have different long-term consequences.

Consider both.

Treating AI's Comparison as a Fact

AI can produce inaccurate information or make unsupported assumptions.

Verify important facts and numbers with reliable sources.

Questions to Ask Before an Important Decision

Before making a significant choice, review these questions:

What exactly am I deciding?

Is the problem clearly defined?

What criteria am I using?

Do those criteria actually matter to me?

What do I know?

Have I separated verified facts from assumptions?

What don't I know?

Is important information still missing?

What risks am I accepting?

Can I realistically handle the potential downsides?

Can I change my mind later?

Is the decision reversible or difficult to undo?

If you are still unable to decide after asking these questions, that may simply mean more information is needed before moving forward.

For Important Decisions, Verification Matters More Than Convenience

For decisions involving health, finances, law, safety, or other high-impact issues, use AI mainly as a tool for organizing questions and information.

Do not treat its response as the final authority.

Check official or otherwise reliable sources, and seek qualified professional advice when appropriate.

In particular, verify specific numbers, rules, dates, and factual claims rather than assuming that an AI-generated answer is accurate.

Final Thoughts

A better decision does not always mean a perfect decision.

We cannot predict every future outcome.

What we can do is organize the information we have, compare realistic options, identify what matters, consider potential risks, and choose the option that best fits our circumstances.

AI can be valuable throughout this process.

It can organize choices.

It can help create comparison criteria.

It can reveal questions you may have missed.

It can even challenge the option you already prefer.

But the final judgment remains yours.

Instead of asking AI:

“Which option should I choose?”

try asking:

“What criteria should I use to compare these options?”

Good decision-making is not about getting AI to choose for you.

It is about using AI to understand your choices more clearly and think through them more carefully.

Key Takeaways

• Define the decision clearly.
• List the realistic options.
• Choose criteria that actually matter to you.
• Compare options using the same criteria.
• Separate verified information from missing information.
• Challenge your preferred option.
• Consider both short-term and long-term effects.
• Use reliable sources to verify important facts.
• Make the final decision based on your own circumstances and judgment.

Series

Everyday Life with AI

Chapter 6 – Building a Smarter Everyday Life with AI

Part 56 — How to Make Better Decisions with AI: Compare Options and Think More Clearly

Recommended Tags

AI Decision Making, ChatGPT Decision Support, Comparing Options with AI, Better Decisions with AI, AI Productivity, Decision-Making Skills, Problem Solving with AI, Everyday Life with AI