What it means
The model generates plausible-sounding content that does not match facts, retrieved sources, or user-provided data.
Why designers should care
Without citations, edit steps, and low-confidence states, users act on wrong answers in high-stakes workflows (finance, health, legal, shipping code).
Example
A research assistant labels unsourced claims as “Unverified,” requires citations for factual bullets, and offers “Compare to source” hover on each sentence tied to RAG snippets.
Common mistakes
- Presenting every reply with equal visual weight regardless of evidence.
- Blaming users for not checking when the UI implies authoritative truth.
- No recovery path (“fix this claim”) after a hallucination is spotted.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Hallucination?
A hallucination is when an AI states something confidently that is false, outdated, or unsupported by its inputs.
Why should designers care about Hallucination?
Without citations, edit steps, and low-confidence states, users act on wrong answers in high-stakes workflows (finance, health, legal, shipping code).
What are common mistakes with Hallucination?
Presenting every reply with equal visual weight regardless of evidence; Blaming users for not checking when the UI implies authoritative truth; No recovery path (“fix this claim”) after a hallucination is spotted.