When AI Confidently Gives Wrong Answers: Managing Hallucination Risk

AI doesn't say "I don't know"—it makes things up with perfect confidence. This hallucination problem kills trust faster than any other AI failure mode. Here's how to manage it in real applications.

Detection comes first. Simple fact-checking against databases catches some hallucinations. Asking the AI to quote its sources and verify those exist catches more. Running multiple queries and checking consistency catches still more. No method is perfect; use them in combination.

Mitigation through system design matters more than detection. Never let AI be the final authority for factual claims. Present AI outputs as suggestions requiring verification. Design interfaces that encourage skepticism—"AI thinks X, does this match your records?"

User education is part of the solution. Users who understand AI limitations use it more effectively. Brief explanations like "AI can make mistakes—please verify important details" reduce harm from hallucinations without destroying utility.