Ready to go 'leaf peeping' this fall? ChatGPT can help

Even though the leaves have been changing colors and the air has been getting crisper for weeks, Sunday officially marked the start of fall. We are now in the full swing of seasonal activities like apple picking, leaf peeping, hiking, and trick-or-treating, and ChatGPT is here to enhance your experience. 

ChatGPT is an advanced tool capable of coding and math, but it can also help with fun tasks, such as fall event planning. OpenAI shared with ZDNET how users can leverage the chatbot for such activities, starting with personalizing hiking routes. 

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There is no better time to explore the outdoors than when the weather is cooler and fall foliage is on display. ChatGPT can help you find the best trail for optimal fall leaf views, using your conversational prompt to map a route that meets your needs, including what you want to see and where you want to go. 

ChatGPT can give you insight on when might be the best time to see the leaves based on regional forecasts and trends. The best part is that your prompt can be as simple as, "Can you find me a hiking trail around Hunter Mountain?" The output will include a bulleted list of distance, difficulty, elevation gain, and features, as seen below. 

If you spot an interesting leaf on the hike or other explorations, ChatGPT can also help you learn more about the particular leaf and its species from simple text descriptions or even a photo of what you are looking at. This could be a particularly fun activity for families as it encourages children to interact with and learn about the outdoors. 

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ChatGPT can also help with other DIY activity suggestions. You can keep the prompt as general as, "What are some fall DIY art crafts I can do at home?" However, to get the most out of the chatbot, I recommend being as specific as possible. 

For example, it might be a good idea to list the supplies you have at your disposal so that you don't have to go out and buy any, or to include the ages of the participants so that the activity is more tailored. You can also include themes or ideas you might already have, such as, "What is a craft I can do with fall leaves?" or "I want to make a fall wreath; how can I do so?"