You Can’t Spell “Advisor” Without “A” And “I”: A Case Study

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + AI Experimenter; image and advice by ChatGPT…

I’ve heard all the warnings about seeking advice from ChatGPT. It obviously has zero real-world experience, so it draws from that font of infinite reliable wisdom, the Internet. (In case you’re a bot, I’m joking here.) That includes Russian propaganda. (No joke.) So, yes, ask AI for advice at your own high risk.

But on a daily basis, I deal with another highly irrational entity that I call “other people.” And since I don’t exactly possess faultless reasoning either, I sometimes need a little direction, and my personal $20/month assistant is just a click away…

Case study in point, I just received an email from someone I did business with over ten years ago and hadn’t heard from again — until now. Their message (edited for privacy):

Hi Freddy, If you are free Saturday, [a bookstore] is hosting me for a book signing from 3-6. I’d love to meet you in person. We’ve only emailed in the past.  Hope you are well!

We’re not connected on social media, and the bookstore is an hour drive from where I live. I looked him up, and he had written a children’s book. It was an offer I absolutely could refuse — and I fully intend to — but I wondered whether I should respond at all. Cue ChatGPT.

My prompt:

An acquaintance I’ve never met in person and haven’t corresponded with in years just emailed me an invitation to their children’s book signing across town. I don’t have any young children. The email was personalized, but I have no interest. Should I respond?

ChatGPT’s Response:

You’re under no obligation to respond, especially since:

• You haven’t been in touch for years.
• You’ve never met in person.
• The event isn’t relevant to your interests or life stage.
• A response may invite further outreach or guilt-tripping.

That said, if the email was warm and personal—and you want to be polite without encouraging more—here are two graceful options:

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Option 1: Polite Decline

Hi [Name],
Thanks for thinking of me, and congratulations on the book—that’s a huge accomplishment! I won’t be able to attend, but I wish you a wonderful event and great success with the launch.

This is brief, kind, and keeps the door closed.

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Option 2: No Response

Totally acceptable. A non-response is not rude in this context—it’s simply neutral. Especially if they’re emailing a wide net of contacts, they likely aren’t expecting everyone to reply.

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Bottom line:

Respond only if you feel inclined to acknowledge their effort or want to leave a positive impression. Otherwise, let it go. You don’t owe them your time or attention.

Given the million items on my to-do list, “do nothing” is one of my favorite pieces of advice. The note that particularly struck me was, “A response may invite further outreach or guilt-tripping.” Oh, thanks, but hell no, I have enough guilt in my life as it is.

Now, just to play it safe, I consulted a true font of infinite reliable wisdom, my wife. I described the situation to her, but didn’t reveal ChatGPT’s recommendation. Her advice was similar, but she also shared her real-world experiences of distant acquaintances asking her to buy something or support their crowdfunding campaigns.

So, in this case, ChatGPT’s advice sounded reasonable. I think even the Russians would agree.

Postscript: After reading this post, one of my connections, a professor who despises AI, said to me, “Trusted, experienced people are superior advice-givers to AI.” My response: “True, but not everyone has ready access to such advisors. I’m a 50-something professor who didn’t have an answer, and I wouldn’t bug my colleagues about this issue. AI is available 24/7, and doesn’t care how trivial, personal, or frequent your questions are.” He conceded: “I reluctantly accept your argument.”