Ep 90 - How I'm Talking To PDFs And Getting Real Answers
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Oct 14, 2025
Discover how a digital assistant can simplify navigating municipal red tape. The host shares a personal journey of using ChatGPT to tackle complex land use and shoreland zoning ordinances for a property project. With clever strategies, he transforms legal documents into accessible information. Learn about the significance of citation for clarity and how this approach can extend beyond permitting challenges to enhance customer service and health inquiries. It's a fascinating exploration of AI as an advocate!
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question_answer ANECDOTE
First-Time Building Permit Challenge
Cary Weston describes his first-time experience navigating building permits and municipal ordinances for a waterside property.
He highlights delays from a part-time code officer and his need to be prepared between weekly communications.
insights INSIGHT
Ordinances Are Layered And Confusing
Municipal ordinances are legalistic and often point to appendices, creating circular confusion for non-experts.
Shoreland zoning can supersede land use rules, adding complexity when multiple ordinances interact.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Build A Focused Project With Source Documents
Create a focused ChatGPT project and upload the exact ordinances relevant to your case.
Limit the assistant to those documents so it answers only from verified sources you control.
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In this solo episode of The Chat GPT Experiment, host Cary Weston dives into a personal story of how he's using ChatGPT as a digital advocate to navigate a confusing and bureaucratic process. Cary is in the early stages of trying to build on a property near water, which involves dealing with complex municipal ordinances and slow communication from part-time local officials. To stay prepared and proactive, Cary created a ChatGPT project trained only on the local land use and shoreland zoning ordinances. This episode shows how ChatGPT can become a powerful assistant when you're dealing with legal or technical documents — especially when clarity is hard to come by.
3 Key Takeaways
Projects in ChatGPT can be helpful By uploading specific documents and setting clear instructions, Cary created a focused assistant that only pulls information from verified sources.
ChatGPT can be a digital advocate In situations where human help is slow or incomplete, ChatGPT can offer guidance, ask smart follow-ups, and even help you draft better questions — as long as it's trained with the right context.
Cite your sources Cary emphasizes the importance of verifying ChatGPT’s responses by requiring it to cite the exact ordinance section, giving him confidence and clarity in his communications.
About Cary Weston
Cary Weston is the creator and host of The Chat GPT Experiment, a podcast designed to help everyday users unlock practical ways to use ChatGPT in their lives and work. With a background in public service (former city council member and mayor) and deep roots in marketing and communications, Cary brings a grounded and relatable voice to exploring AI tools. He also offers one-on-one and group training sessions to help others get more from ChatGPT.
Cary offers customized one-on-one ChatGPT training in 60 minute sessions. Find out more information on the sessions, answers to frequent questions, and how to register at www.ChatGPTExperiment.com
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