Why does AI make up fake facts?
You will learn why AI sometimes invents things that sound true.
AI does not look things up like you do. It guesses the next words based on patterns. Most of the time, the guess is right.
But sometimes it guesses wrong. It can make up a name, a date, or a fact. This is sometimes called a "hallucination."
It is not lying on purpose. It just does not always know what is true. So you should check anything that really matters.
Try this
- Ask AI for help, but read its answer with care.
- Look for names, numbers, and dates that seem off.
- Check those facts with a trusted website or person.
- Ask AI, "How sure are you about this?"
A message you can copy
I want to use this fact: [paste the fact here]. Can you tell me how confident you are, and how I could check it myself?
Paste it into ChatGPT, then change the words in brackets to fit you. It opens in a new tab, so you will not lose this page.
Buddy says
A quick check keeps you safe. Trust AI to draft, but verify the facts.