By Song Jingwoo If you’ve ever asked ChatGPT to recommend suppliers in Malaysia — and noticed that the results change each time — you’re not alone. Many business owners wonder why AI answers are sometimes different, inconsistent, or even random.
Let’s uncover the simple reason behind it and how you can make ChatGPT’s supplier suggestions more reliable.
Unlike Google Maps or supplier directories such as Newpages.com.my, ChatGPT doesn’t keep a permanent list of companies.
It generates answers on the spot — using its general knowledge, public data, and sometimes live web results.
That means when you ask,
“Recommend me some suppliers in Malaysia,”
ChatGPT will create the answer again from what it can find — not fetch it from a database.
So, every time you ask, it may “think” differently and give slightly new results.
ChatGPT’s brain works through probability, not fixed logic.
It predicts what words or names are most likely to appear next based on your question.
Just like a human, it might say:
- “ABC Trading” one time, and
- “XYZ Enterprise” the next time —
both are valid, just different choices from the same topic.
This randomness is part of what makes ChatGPT sound natural — but it also causes variety in results.
If you’re using ChatGPT with browsing enabled, it searches the internet live.
That means the AI might read different websites each time — depending on what’s new or ranked higher at that moment.
Search engines constantly refresh data, so ChatGPT’s “live” answers may change daily.
For example, a supplier who recently launched a new website might suddenly appear in the next result.
Every AI model has something called a temperature setting.
Think of it like the AI’s “creativity level”:
- 🔹 Low temperature (0.2) → More stable and repeated answers
- 🔹 High temperature (0.8 or above) → More variety and creative differences
ChatGPT’s default setting is designed to give balanced answers — useful but not identical every time.
The way you phrase your question also changes the outcome.
For example:
- “List suppliers in Malaysia” → could show distributors or traders
- “List manufacturers in Malaysia” → might show factories instead
Even a small change in wording leads ChatGPT to “search” from a different angle.
If you want ChatGPT to give more reliable and repeatable answers, try these simple tricks:
✅ Be specific:
“List 10 verified packaging material suppliers in Johor with websites.”
✅ Use the same prompt every time:
Save your question and reuse it exactly — that keeps results stable.
✅ Ask for structured format:
“Show company name, location, website, and description.”
✅ Use web browsing mode:
So it pulls real-time, current supplier info.
✅ Cross-check with trusted directories:
Like SSM Malaysia or Newpages.com.my.
ChatGPT is a powerful AI assistant, but it’s not a supplier database.
Think of it as your research partner — great for discovering new leads, but still needs human checking and verification.
If you combine ChatGPT’s smart searching with real Malaysian business directories, you can find suppliers faster, smarter, and more confidently.