Level 0 · Curious
Hallucinations: when AI makes things up
It sounds confident even when it's wrong. Check what matters.
A hallucination is when the model answers something false with the same confidence it uses for something true. It can invent a number, a quote, a legal article or a book that doesn't exist.
The tone won't warn you. What you can do is change how you ask and what you check.
Try it today
Add to the end of your questions: "If you're not sure, tell me." Compare the answers.
Test yourself
Where is AI most likely to make things up?
- Summarizing a text you gave it
- Giving an exact figure with no source
- Fixing spelling
See the answer
Giving an exact figure with no source. Without a backing document, an exact figure is just the most likely one, not a verified one.
If you lead a team
For health, money or legal topics, someone who knows must review. Make it a team rule, not a suggestion.