Why general-purpose AI tools fall short — and how domain-specific assistants ensure safety, accuracy, and ethical performance.
In a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence, the difference between a helpful assistant and a potentially harmful one lies in its level of specialization. While general-purpose AI assistants offer quick and accessible solutions, they are beginning to show limitations that can seriously impact safety, accuracy, and ethics across various fields. From incorrect medical advice to negative effects on users’ cognitive abilities, the risks are becoming clear. In this article, we explore why specificity in AI assistants is not a luxury but an urgent necessity — and examine real-world examples where specialized AI has proven to be the most reliable, ethical, and effective choice.
The growing reliance on general-purpose artificial intelligence tools presents challenges that demand urgent attention.
Today, artificial intelligence (AI) assistants have become deeply integrated into our lives, offering everything from quick answers to personalized advice. However, their use without clear specialization has begun to reveal a series of risks that can no longer be ignored.
Recently, the Spanish newspaper El País reported documented cases in which AI assistants gave dangerous advice to vulnerable users. For instance, one study found that certain therapeutic chatbots provided harmful suggestions to teenagers, including the promotion of violent behavior and the dissemination of false information about professional credentials.
Meanwhile, research from MIT has shown that excessive use of tools like ChatGPT can negatively affect cognitive abilities, especially in young people. Participants who relied heavily on AI showed a decline in attention, creativity, and critical thinking.
In this context, it will be the responsibility of educational systems to preserve these qualities through activities that stimulate them and prevent their decline.
A BBC study revealed that over 50% of AI assistant-generated responses contained significant errors, including inaccuracies and content distortions. This raises serious concerns about the reliability of these tools, especially when used to access critical information.
Depending on who is training the assistants, AI models may also perpetuate bias, discrimination, racism, phobias, and more. This can negatively impact certain social groups.
In terms of loss of control and autonomy, some experts have expressed concern about the possibility of advanced AI systems acting independently, without proper human oversight. This could lead to scenarios where decisions made by AI escape the control of their creators, resulting in unpredictable consequences.
Specificity in AI assistants is therefore essential to ensure responses that are accurate, safe, and ethically responsible.
Why Does Specificity Matter?
Because it brings precision and safety. Specialized assistants are trained on domain-specific data, reducing errors and providing more trustworthy answers.
Because they ensure ethical and legal compliance. In sectors like healthcare and finance, specialization guarantees adherence to regulations and ethical standards. Furthermore, specialized solutions deliver more relevant and satisfying interactions for users.
Choosing the right assistant is thus a fundamental matter — not a cosmetic one. Even AI itself recommends different assistants tailored to each field. Below are some prominent examples in medicine, mental health, commerce, and finance that illustrate how a specialized approach makes a real difference:
Medicine: Med-PaLM 2 (Google)
Developed by Google, Med-PaLM 2 is an AI model designed to answer complex medical questions. Trained on medical literature and clinical protocols, it has demonstrated 85% accuracy in clinical responses — surpassing many general-purpose models. Its specialization enables more reliable and safer diagnostics.
Mental Health: Wysa
Wysa is an AI-powered mental health app that uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to provide emotional support. Clinically validated, it has proven effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression by offering interventions tailored to individual needs.
Banking Sector: Alfred and Pep (N5)
Tech company N5 has developed two exclusive AI assistants for the financial sector:
- Alfred: Inspired by Batman’s butler, Alfred is a virtual assistant that performs administrative and management tasks for banking executives. It can analyze and classify emails, prepare customer responses and send them — with prior approval — schedule calls, among other tasks. Its ability to integrate with different systems and platforms allows for quick and efficient implementation.
- Pep: More than an assistant, Pep is a coach. Named after football coach Pep Guardiola, this assistant evaluates employee performance, learns from top-performing human executives, and teaches the rest. It optimizes and trains, even simulating conversations with clients for practice.
Commerce: Genesy
Genesy is an AI platform focused on B2B sales, automating lead generation, qualifying prospects, and scheduling meetings. Its specialization in commercial processes allows companies to significantly improve the productivity and efficiency of their sales teams.
At this point, no one can deny that artificial intelligence (AI) assistants have become valuable tools across multiple sectors. However, not only their safety but also their effectiveness depends largely on the specificity for which they were designed.
