I requested ChatGPT for reasonable FTSE 100 index shares. It stated…

The FTSE 100 has risen 17% in 2025, but the index stays filled with discount shares this November.

Whether or not based mostly on earnings forecasts, anticipated dividends, or guide values, London is residence to many low cost high quality shares. However that are the most effective ones to purchase?

I requested ChatGPT. It gave me some attention-grabbing — and a few alarming — solutions…

The 4 shares

I punched “What are the most effective low cost FTSE 100 shares to purchase?” into the AI mannequin’s search bar. It gave me a listing of 4 worth shares:

• Barclays
• Centrica
• BAE Methods
• Vodafone (LSE:VOD)

A few these are wonderful shares. Regardless of provide chain points, BAE Methods has a terrific alternative to develop earnings as defence budgets growth. I additionally like telecoms titan Vodafone’s alternative to develop gross sales because the digital revolution rolls on, and particularly in fast-growing African markets.

I’m much less enthused about its tackle Barclays and Centrica. Nevertheless it takes a couple of opinion to make a market, as they are saying.

Oh pricey

Nonetheless, ChatGPT fell down on an important little bit of my query: to choose the most effective worth shares for me.

Barclays’ share value has risen 54% in 2025, leaving it buying and selling on a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 0.9. That’s virtually double the financial institution’s 10-year common of 0.5.

Centrica’s P/B is extra engaging from an historic perspective. This sits at 1.7 versus the decade-long common of two.5 occasions. However with a ahead price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12.9 occasions and a 3.3% dividend yield, the corporate doesn’t scream ‘excellent worth’ to me.

Whereas I like BAE Methods and Vodafone, these don’t look low cost on paper both. The defence agency’s ahead P/E ratio of 25.5 occasions soars above the 10-year common of 15 occasions. BAE’s share value has soared 58% in 2025.

AI issues

These inaccuracies completely illustrate why I don’t use ChatGPT when looking for shares to purchase. I typically discover its rationale to be extremely questionable, and its suggestions based mostly on deceptive (or mistaken) data.

On this case, ChatGPT based mostly its recommendations on The Motley Idiot articles. That will get my seal of approval (I used the TMF to assist me select shares lengthy earlier than I joined its writing staff).

The issue is that ChatGPT based mostly its share recommendations on outdated articles. For Centrica, it used a five-month-old piece, whereas Barclays and BAE Methods was lined by TMF 4 months in the past. Barclays and Centrica particularly have soared in worth since then.

The AI’s advice of Vodafone shares was based mostly on an article from November 2023!

One high inventory

Having stated that, I do imagine Vodafone is an affordable inventory price severe consideration proper now. Alhough it doesn’t provide the great worth it did just some months in the past, I feel it seems to be low cost from an historic foundation.

Vodafone’s share value has leapt 36% in 2025.

The telecoms large trades on a ahead P/E ratio of 14.7 occasions. That’s beneath the 10-year common of 17.7 occasions.

Vodafone nonetheless has challenges to beat following regulatory modifications in Germany. Nevertheless it’s making a great fist of it, and a return to development there pushed revenues 7.3% greater throughout April to September. In depth group-wide streamlining places it in higher form to develop future earnings as properly.

I’m completely happy to exclude these different FTSE 100 shares from a price portfolio, although.