Why AI gets things wrong: a beginner's checklist

In short: AI chatbots predict words that sound right, so they can make up facts, quote sources that don't exist, or give out-of-date answers with total confidence. Use this checklist to spot problems and check answers before you rely on them.

Checked: 18 Oct 2026, prices and features change. · Last updated: 19 Oct 2026

Why it happens

A chatbot doesn't look facts up in a big book of truth. It writes the answer that seems most likely, word by word, based on what it learned. Most of the time that works well. Sometimes it produces something that sounds right but isn't.

The four common problems

• Made-up facts (often called "hallucinations"): a confident answer that's simply wrong, such as a wrong date, a wrong price or a step that doesn't exist.
• Outdated information: the AI may have learned from information that is months or years old. Prices, phone plans, rules and opening hours change often.
• Made-up sources: it can invent article titles, quotes, studies or web links that look real but don't exist.
• Missing context: it doesn't know your situation, your location or the details you didn't mention, so the answer may not fit you.

Your checklist before you trust an answer

1. Is this important? Money, health, legal, safety or anything you'll send to someone else always needs checking.
2. Does it sound too neat or too sure? Confidence isn't proof.
3. Are there numbers, dates or names? Check each one somewhere else.
4. Did it give sources? Open every link. If a link doesn't work or doesn't say what the AI claimed, don't trust that point.
5. Could it be out of date? Ask "When was this information current?" and check the official website for anything that changes.
6. Does it fit where you live? Rules and prices differ between countries and regions.
7. Ask it to check itself. Try "What in your answer might be wrong or uncertain?" It won't catch everything, but it often flags weak spots.
8. Get a second opinion. Ask a different chatbot, or better, check with a trusted website or a real person.

A prompt that helps

Paste this after any answer you want to rely on:

Go back over your answer. List each fact, number or source you used, say how confident you are in each one, and tell me which ones I should check myself and where.

How to verify, quickly

• Facts and numbers: search for them yourself and look for the company's or organisation's own website.
• Quotes and studies: search for the exact title. If you can't find it, assume it's made up.
• Prices and plans: check the provider's own pricing page on the day.
• Health, money and legal questions: use AI to prepare questions, then ask a qualified professional.

General information only, not legal advice. Laws and rules differ between countries and regions, so always check what applies where you live, and get professional advice for your situation.

Common questions

Do paid chatbots still make mistakes?

Yes. Paid versions can be better at some tasks, but every chatbot can still get things wrong, so the checklist applies to all of them.

Is it lying to me?

No. It isn't trying to trick you. It produces likely-sounding text, and sometimes likely-sounding text is wrong.

Can I turn on web search to fix it?

Web search can help with recent information, but the AI can still misread or misquote a page. Open the links and check.

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