ChatGPT Confession #014
I Asked ChatGPT to Compare Freelancers… It Told Me to Remove Their Names First

This is part of my ChatGPT Confessions series, where I test what ChatGPT can actually do in real-life situations.  View all ChatGPT Confessions

I thought I was being efficient. I had already used ChatGPT to help me draft a brief for an AI automation expert, and when the proposals started coming in on Upwork, I wanted help choosing the best person. It felt like the obvious next step in using AI decision making tools.

So I did what most people would do. I copied the proposals into ChatGPT and asked it to analyse who would be the most suitable for the job. I expected a breakdown of skills, experience, and maybe a recommendation.

Instead, I got stopped immediately.

The Instruction I Didn’t Expect

ChatGPT told me not to include their names. It also told me not to include their nationality. That wasn’t what I had asked for, and it caught me off guard.

At first, I didn’t fully understand why it mattered. I thought I was just providing more context to help make a better decision. It turns out, that “extra context” is exactly where unconscious bias hiring starts to creep in.

Why Names and Nationalities Change Decisions

When you see a name or a country, your brain fills in the gaps automatically. You might associate certain countries with lower rates, different communication styles, or past experiences you’ve had. None of that is part of the actual proposal, but it still influences how you judge it.

This is where AI bias in decision making becomes very real. It’s not just about algorithms being biased, it’s about the human using the tool bringing their own assumptions into the process.

By removing names and nationalities, the focus shifts completely. You’re looking at the actual content, the thinking, and the relevance to the task. That’s a very different way of choosing the right freelancer.

What Happened When I Followed That Advice

I stripped everything back. No names, no locations, no identifying details. Just the proposals, the experience, and the way each freelancer approached the problem.

The difference was immediate. I wasn’t distracted by anything external, and I could actually compare responses properly. This is where ChatGPT hiring decisions became far more useful than I expected.

It highlighted strengths, gaps, and differences in approach without any noise. That made the decision clearer and far less emotional.

How ChatGPT Actually Approaches This

What I realised is that ChatGPT works best when it’s given clean, relevant input. It doesn’t need personal identifiers to evaluate quality, and in many cases, those details get in the way.

When you remove bias triggers, the analysis becomes more objective. That’s one of the biggest advantages of using AI decision making tools, especially when you’re making hiring decisions.

If you want to see how to structure prompts that lead to better outcomes, you can explore more examples here:
ChatGPT Prompts

The Bigger Realisation

This wasn’t just about choosing a freelancer. It made me realise how often I rely on shortcuts when making decisions. Names, locations, and past experiences all shape how we judge things, even when we think we’re being objective.

Removing those elements forced me to focus on what actually mattered. That’s a simple shift, but it has a big impact on how you evaluate people and opportunities.

If you want to see how AI can help with this kind of thinking across your business, this is a good place to start:
AI & Automation

Why This Matters for Small Business Owners

If you’re hiring freelancers or building a team, your decisions directly impact your results. Choosing based on assumptions instead of actual capability can cost you time, money, and energy.

Removing bias in hiring doesn’t mean ignoring important details. It means focusing on the right details first, before anything else clouds your judgement. That’s where AI can play a valuable role.

You can also explore more practical ways AI supports decision making here:
AI For Small Business: Unleashing the Power of Artificial Intelligence

Where This Fits Into the Bigger Picture

This experience changed how I approach decisions, not just hiring. I now think more carefully about what information I’m using and whether it’s actually relevant.

If you want to explore more real examples like this, you can browse the full series here:
ChatGPT Confessions Hub

And if you want to apply this kind of thinking to your own business and save time in the process, I’ve put everything together here:
Wait. You Can Do That? – Save Time with AI