AI Caught Giving Inaccurate Information — and the Solution

Plus an analogy with using GPS for your vehicle… 

I’ve always been curious about how time zone lines were determined, especially when they do not follow State borders which would seem to have been the logical choice.

There are several interesting examples in the US, but I choose Idaho. (See pix below.) Yes, Eastern Oregon is another unexpected deviation, but I didn’t want to confuse AI with too complex a question…

I asked: Why do time zones divide several states (e.g., Idaho) rather than follow their borders?

ChatGPT said:

Time zones don’t always follow state borders because they are based on practical considerations related to geography, economics, and human activity. In the case of states like Idaho, the division of time zones is influenced by a few key factors:

1. Geographic Location: Time zones are roughly aligned with lines of longitude. The Earth’s rotation dictates time zones, and some states span multiple longitudes, leading to different local times in different regions of the state. Idaho, for instance, is large and stretches across a significant portion of longitude, so it ends up being divided into two time zones: the Pacific Time Zone in the western part and the Mountain Time Zone in the eastern part.
2. Economic and Transportation Ties: The division of time zones often follows patterns of economic activity. For instance, in Idaho, the western part is more closely aligned with cities in neighboring Washington and Oregon (which are in the Pacific Time Zone), while the eastern part shares economic and social ties with areas in neighboring Montana and Wyoming (in the Mountain Time Zone). Dividing Idaho along these lines helps maintain coherence for business and transportation schedules.
3. Historical Reasons: Time zones were introduced in the late 19th century to standardize time across the country, particularly for the railroad system. The original divisions were made with the goal of serving the needs of commerce and travel, which sometimes meant overriding state borders. As a result, some states ended up with parts of them in different time zones, especially those that are geographically large.

So, while it might seem logical for time zones to follow state lines, they were actually designed to serve practical needs, including trade, transportation, and the natural progression of time across the Earth’s surface.

My comments about this ChatGPT answer: Longitude refers to East-West position, which (in general) is right. However, I purposefully picked Idaho as the time zone divides it North-South, not East-West — so answer #1 is wrong concerning my question about Idaho.

Likewise, answer #2 is also wrong, as it again talks about East-West differences, whereas the actual Idaho division is North-South. Due to this I pushed back with a followup query…

FYI I see at the bottom at the ChatGPT page (not prominently emphasized) the following text: “ChatGPT can make mistakes.” Duh…

I asked: That was not a very good answer, as the time zones in Idaho are divided North-South, not East-West. Please try again.

ChatGPT said:

You’re right! I appreciate your patience. Let me clarify things more accurately:

In the case of Idaho, the state is divided between Mountain Time in the southern part and Pacific Time in the northern part. This division is not based on the typical East-West orientation we often think of when talking about time zones, and it actually follows a more complex pattern based on economic and historical factors.

Here are the key reasons for the North-South division in Idaho:

1. Economic and Historical Ties:

• The northern part of Idaho has closer economic, transportation, and cultural ties with the nearby Pacific Northwest states like Washington and Oregon, which are in the Pacific Time Zone. As a result, it made sense to align the time zone in northern Idaho with these neighboring regions.
• The southern part of Idaho is more closely connected to areas in Utah and Wyoming, which are in the Mountain Time Zone. This alignment helps maintain business and logistical coherence across state lines.

2. Population and Industry Patterns:

• The northern part of Idaho is less densely populated and has fewer large urban centers, while the southern part (like Boise, the state capital) has more economic activity and a larger population. The time zone division reflects the region’s population centers and where most economic exchanges happen, which historically influenced the time zone decisions.

3. Geographical Features:

• The state’s geography, especially the Salmon River, which runs through Idaho, creates a natural divide between the northern and southern parts. This might have influenced decisions for dividing the state along these lines, as transportation and communication patterns were more clearly separated by natural features.

The division of time zones in Idaho reflects the practical realities of transportation, economic ties, and historical patterns rather than following state borders. Although it’s not a perfect alignment with borders, it was designed to serve the needs of communities, businesses, and transportation networks across the state.

My comment about this ChatGPT answer: ChatGPT’s second response is much better.

The Bottom Line —

This exchange again proves the wisdom of only asking AI questions where you have a good idea about what the correct answer is. I can not emphasize the importance of this enough!

If I had no clue here I would have accepted ChatGPT’s first response and moved on — big mistake!

There is a good parallel here with using GPS for your car. Just because your GPS says to take a certain route, it does NOT mean to disable your Critical Thinking skills and robotically follow the GPS instructions! I’ve experienced dozens of examples where my route was superior to the GPS route.

©2025  John Droz, Jr. All rights reserved.

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