Hallucination
Also known as: AI Hallucination, Hallucinations
In one sentence
When AI confidently generates false, made-up, or nonsensical information. It's not lying—it's guessing poorly.
Explain like I'm 12
When the AI makes stuff up and says it like it's true. It doesn't know it's wrong—it just filled in the blanks with a guess.
In context
AI might invent fake citations, wrong dates, or fictional events. Always verify important facts—hallucinations happen often.
See also
Related Guides
Learn more about Hallucination in these guides:
Evaluating AI Answers (Hallucinations, Checks, and Evidence)
IntermediateHow to spot when AI gets it wrong. Practical techniques to verify accuracy, detect hallucinations, and build trust in AI outputs.
10 min readAI Failure Modes and Mitigations: When AI Goes Wrong
IntermediateUnderstand how AI systems fail and how to prevent failures. From hallucinations to catastrophic errors—learn to anticipate, detect, and handle AI failures gracefully.
11 min read10 Common AI Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
BeginnerEveryone makes these mistakes when starting with AI. Learn what trips people up, why it happens, and simple fixes to get better results faster.
11 min read