- The Coast
- Posts
- šļø Dr. ChatGPT, M.D.
šļø Dr. ChatGPT, M.D.
Plus, no new evidence in renewed search for missing Pictou County children, HRM is making a tourism comeback and all the shows happening in Halifax in June.
Good morning Halifax,
This message is for me just as much as it is for you: We need to stop diagnosing ourselves online and/or asking robots whatās wrong with us. And I think itās a fundamental truth that we all understand, yet the call of the internet is so strong that we have collectively lost the power of choice in the matter.
Iām pregnant and Iām too ashamed to even admit on this platform the kinds of questions Iāve crowdsourced on Reddit (ok, fine, I asked if babies can be born with frogās legs because I had a dream about it andā¦just, whatever). And itās extra dumb because I just read page after page until I find ONE person who once experienced a symptom like mine and then Iām likeā¦
@tenabreegs Anyone else obsessed with the āI knew itā lady right now? #karensoftiktok #iknewit #myfavorite
(Except for the frog legs thing šø)
But now people are taking it a step further and asking ChatGPT for medical diagnosis and researchers out of the University of Waterloo have concluded that can be ādangerousā.
The chatbot was asked a series of open-ended medical questions based on scenarios modified from a medical licensing exam. The findings were strikingly bad; only 31% of ChatGPTās responses were deemed entirely correct, and just 34% were considered clear.
In one example, the chatbot confidently diagnosed a patientās rash as a reaction to laundry detergent. In reality, it was caused by latex glovesāa key detail missed by the AIāwhich had been told the patient studied mortuary science and used gloves (aka was a serial killer).
The researchers are not suggesting we stop using it altogether, but just understand that thereās an excellent chance it will be wrong. Plus, they face zero consequences if theyāre wrong and actually itās more YOUR fault than anything, which is my least favourite thing.
I know this is all annoying considering itās virtually impossible to even get a real life human doctor and if you have one, theyāre like āhowās 16 weeks from now?ā and youāre like ābut Iām itchy NOW, I could be dead by then.ā
I never said I had all the answers, so just try to stay healthy and safe out there!
ā Julie
š· @editorjulesl
š”ļø Traffic & Weather
Today: āļø 21°
Tomorrow: āļø 26°
Next Day: āļø 26°
š Driving, biking or busing today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.
šØ Here is Halifaxās Air Quality Index and the smoke report.
JUNE PREVIEW
Every big show happening in Halifax in June 2025

šø Credit: Coast illustration
Itās time to party like itās 2010! June in Halifax is a full throwback, from Jessie Cruickshankās comedy special to Nickleback, to The Killersāthe lower waisted the jeans, the better.
The nostalgia is as high as the vibes with the shows hitting Halifax in June.
š¤ Need To Know
š„ The head of the search-and-rescue team looking for signs of two young children who went missing in rural Nova Scotia a month ago have found no new evidence as of Sunday afternoonāwhich marked the second day in the renewed search in the dense woods near their home.
š® Canada Post has rejected a request from the union representing about 55,000 of its workers to send their ongoing labour dispute to binding arbitration.
š§āš» The CEO of Nova Scotia Power says the company believes it knows who stole customer information in a recent ransomware attackābut can't disclose that information as the company's investigation is ongoing.
š Hop on the ferry for Eastern Front Theatreās annual STAGES Festival this week! Featuring the premiere of ZUPPAās new show, The Final Recordings of an Almost Extinct Bird.*
šļø Help support Nova Scotians experiencing food insecurity AND get the chance to win with Feed Nova Scotiaās Spring 50/50!*
šļø Poetry Reading - The Carleton, June 4, 7pm. Featuring NS&Atlantic Book Award-nominated poets Alice Burdick, Clare Goulet, Annick MacAskill, Johanna Skibsrud, and Bren Simmers.*
š¶ Scotia Festival takes a virtuosic journey through the 20th century, with sumptuous music by Debussy, John ("Red Violin") Corigliano, and Bartók. Don't miss it!*
*Sponsored Post
SPONSORED BY JAM'S BURGERS & SHAKES
Tuesday = free eats for kids
Jamās Burgers & Shakes is serving up daily deals cooler than a varsity jacket on prom night! But the real MVP? TUESDAYSāwhen kids eat FREE with any regular combo purchase. Itās a total touchdown for busy families lookinā to treat their little champs without the hassle.
Hereās the full playbook:
š Monday: BOGO burgers!
š„¤ Wednesday: Free shake upgrade with any combo!
š§
Thursday: Free upgrade to rings or poutine!
š Friday: Free fries with any burger!
Cruise into 8 Jam Lane and score big with throwback vibes, all-star eats, and weekday deals thatāll make you feel like the homecoming king or queenāno pep rally required.
LIFESTYLE
This local cookie company is doing more than just baking

šø Credit: Submitted
Nova Scotia Cookie Co., a proudly woman-owned business, is taking the humble shortbread cookie to international heights, one lighthouse-shaped treat at a time.
Founded by entrepreneur Jenna Ross, the Nova Scotia Cookie Co. is as much about community and connection as it is about confections.
The companyās signature cookieācrafted in the iconic shape of a lighthouseāis inspired by the beloved Peggyās Cove landmark. But these cookies are more than just a sweet souvenir. They represent the values of Nova Scotia: resilience, warmth, and community.
šļø In Other News
š§ The provinceās health minister says an expanded āpathwayā will help improve access to psychiatric assessments and consultations across Nova Scotiaāthe Mental Health and Addictions Program will improve access for people referred by their primary care provider.
š§³ Halifax Regional Municipality is making a big comebackāsecuring high metrics for tourism performance post-pandemicāaccording to the latest report from Discover Halifax.
šļø A former teacher at an exclusive private school in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley is facing allegations of sex offences against a youth more than two decades agoāRoderick Alexander MacDonald, 48, has been charged with sexual exploitation, invitation to sexual touching and sexual assault.
š½ Halifax Water's treatment facilities have returned to normal operations after diverting millions of cubic metres of wastewater into Halifax harbour and the Bedford Basin.
šš» A patient safety advocate says the number of reported bedsores in Nova Scotia hospitals is on the riseāadding part of the problem is a lack of staff to help identify and prevent pressure injuries from developing or worsening.
šØ A 30-year-old Dartmouth man has been arrested and charged with sexual offences against a young victim police say was known to him.
SPONSORED BY 1440 MEDIA
Our Culture, ClarifiedāEvery Week
Every week, 1440 hands knowledge-seekers a guided tour through a single social current. We stitch together history, data, and expert voices so you donāt just witness changeāyou understand it. One concise, fact-first read turns surface headlines into the deeper āwhyā that satisfies your curiosity and keeps your worldview expanding.
šļø Things To Do
Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:
š Matthew Collins - I Made Some More Paintings: These landscape paintings are freely and organically constructed with an emphasis on colour and mark making. Collins loves the raw, natural, ever changing seascapes and often finds himself returning to them time and again. However, the way the painting is executed holds more value to Collins than the subject. Regardless of what or where he is painting, he believes the manner in which the paint is handled should be a novelty for the viewer in and of itself. The artist's use of exaggerated colours and several different painting methods is an attempt to achieve this end result. | June 3-24 |
š Dancing with Pride - Workshop Series: For those with little to no dance experience, join this 4-week introductory ballroom dancing series in a safe space that celebrates all bodies, abilities and identities. This class will include basic steps and partnering to a mix of music across genres and styles. No partner required! You may lead or follow in this class - whichever role makes you feel the most comfortable. | June 3, 10, 17, 24 | 8pm | Donation ($15 recommended) |
š Lebanese Cedar Festival: Come out to celebrate, promote and foster the Lebanese culture and traditions that have become so integral to Canadaās multicultural mosaic. The Cedar Festival is an opportunity for families and groups of all ages to be together to experience the culture and heritage in a fun, free, and safe atmosphere! | June 5-8 |
Have an event to share? Let us know at [email protected].
āļø Whatās In The Harbour
š¢ The MSC Sagitta III container ship arrives in Halifax from Boston at 6:15am.
š¢ The MSC Rochelle container ship arrives in Halifax from Mundra, India at 11:15am.
š¢ The Contship Cup container ship arrives in Halifax from New York at 6:20pm.
š“ Where To Eat & Drink
š Get an elegant bite, fresh from the sea with the Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon at aFrite: fresh Atlantic salmon, chickpea puree, baby potatoes, charred tomatoes, stew green beans, fennel pickled black rice.
š Braised and glazed to perfection, the new Beef Short Rib at Water Polo is pure satisfaction: honey-miso demi, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes and glazed carrots.
š In Case You Missed It
š· Blair Bartlett has always had an eye for beauty, first as a fashion industry insider in his younger years, and now as a rising star in the world of photography. The Halifax-based osteopath and photographer is making headlines after being featured on Photo Vogue ā a platform for artists from every background and region to showcase their work worldwide on Vogue ā for the eighth time. The Coastās fashion and style guru Warren DāSilva has more with Bartlett.
š¢ Two apartment buildings in Halifax's north end with more than 120 units between them are being converted into condominiumsāand the owners say it's because operating the properties as rentals has become financially impracticable.
Thatās it!
Thanks for reading The Coast Daily today.
If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another Haligonian.
And before you go, let us know:
What did you think of today's newsletter? |

Reply