Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere these days.
The technology is writing emails, creating images from prompts, and generating voices – but it isn’t just coming in handy in workplaces.
Some use it to organise their meals week by week, while others rely on AI to plan entire holidays.
Interested to see what local knowledge it possessed, I asked AI tool ChatGPT to plan me a day out in Stirling on a £30 budget.
11am – Arrival and a morning stroll
To start the day, my AI tour guide suggests a morning stroll through King’s Park.
Chat GPT treats me like a visitor rather than a local, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
So, bundled up for a chilly November morning, I head down the road to one of my favourite spots.
ChatGPT describes King’s Park as a “beautiful green space near the city centre” and tells me to enjoy a relaxing walk.
The AI’s other suggestion is to take in the views and snap some pictures of Stirling Castle from below while I’m there.
It’s really nice to start the day with a wander in the winter sun.
12pm – Visit the National Wallace Monument
Next, ChatGPT instructs me to head to the “iconic” National Wallace Monument.
The bot tells me the panoramic views of Stirling from its top will be worth it, and I believe the hype, having been up the attraction five years ago.
However, the AI schedule only gives me an hour to explore the monument and its exhibits, which I know won’t be enough time.
Furthermore, without my car, getting to the landmark from King’s Park proves time-consuming.
A 12-minute drive when travelling directly turns into a 40-minute journey, as I walk back to the city centre and then catch a bus to Causewayhead.
All before I’ve even trekked up the monument itself.
Thankfully, the Wallace Monument provides a free minibus up the Abbey Craig.
This saves me a 20-minute walk up to the base of the tower, but it’s worth noting the service does not run between 1pm and 1.30pm.
My entry costs £11.30, and ChatGPT predicted a price of up to £13 for an adult ticket, so I’m still well within budget.
Inside the monument, there are fun activities on each floor, from making your own shield to exploring the history of William Wallace. His sword is also on display.
The views from the top of the Wallace Monument are my highlight of the entire day.
You can see all of Stirling and beyond, from rolling hills to the curving River Forth, and it’s utterly spectacular.
1.15 pm – Lunch
After surviving the 246 stairs in the Wallace Monument and enjoying the wooden sculpture trail on the walk back to my car, I’m hungry.
Luckily, my AI friend has some lunch suggestions for me.
As “Brea Cafe”, as ChatGPT calls it, is closed for training (and most likely won’t fit into my budget anyway), I head to the alternative option: Darnley Coffee House.
I opt for the brie, bacon and homemade chutney toastie with a soft drink (climbing and hiking is thirsty work), which comes to £11.20.
This is well beyond AI’s predicted lunch cost of £6 to £8, but still fits into my budget for the day.
Darnley Coffee House is charming, the toastie is excellent, and the staff are lovely – a great recommendation from my robot pal.
2pm – Explore Stirling Old Town
Well-positioned to wander round the Old Town, which is ChatGPT’s next planned activity, I head up its cobbled streets.
It’s a truly beautiful area and one I love to photograph, so this is another great suggestion.
I gaze up at the Church of the Holy Rude and Mar’s Wark, as I’m told to.
AI then tells me to visit Stirling Castle’s Esplanade, which is free.
While it’s lovely to take in the views there, they are nothing compared to what I saw from the Wallace Monument earlier.
And I’ve started to wonder if ChatGPT thinks all there is to do in Stirling is walk around outside…
3.15 pm – Coffee or a treat at a local cafe
The AI price estimates are vastly wrong yet again when it suggests stopping at Burgh Coffeehouse for a coffee or hot chocolate and a small pastry.
There is absolutely no way I’m getting both of those things for the predicted £3 to £4.
In the end, I’m not in the mood for a hot drink, but I do treat myself to a brownie for £2.95.
What did I think of my AI day?
ChatGPT’s final suggestion for my Stirling adventure is to walk by the River Forth, but I’m well behind schedule and decide I’ve done enough steps for one day.
In total, the day out costs £25.45, which is just over what the AI expected.
But this doesn’t include what I ended up paying for public transport – something ChatGPT didn’t factor in.
While AI’s understanding of what things actually cost is unrealistic, the walks it suggested were all popular picks, so this itinerary would be great for a tourist or somebody new to the city.
ChatGPT gave some good ideas, but its lack of accuracy for timings, prices and proximity puts me off.
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