Verify factual claims and run test parameters on generated outputs.
Language models predict word sequences based on probability, which occasionally leads them to state false facts, incorrect citations, or broken code with high confidence—a phenomenon called hallucination. Verifying critical facts and testing code is essential before deployment.
AI is a generative companion, not a factual database. While modern models have decreased hallucination rates, they can still construct plausible-sounding errors. For critical tasks, treat AI outputs as drafts: verify key claims, check legal or medical references, and run generated code in a sandbox before final publication.
Cross-check generated legal case citations on Westlaw or LexisNexis to ensure they exist and have not been overturned.
Copy generated code blocks into a local terminal or sandbox sandbox to test execution parameters before integrating with a main branch.
Language models predict the next most probable word based on training patterns. They prioritize linguistic coherence over historical or factual databases, which can lead to plausible-sounding errors.