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What is an AI hallucination?
Short answer
A hallucination is when an AI states something false or made up in a confident way.
- Category Models
- Also called hallucinate, hallucinates, hallucinating, AI hallucination
- Updated 20 Oct 2026
Hallucination, explained simply
AI chatbots predict words that sound right. Sometimes the words sound right but the facts are wrong.
It may invent a quote, a web link or a fact, and say it with full confidence.
Always double-check names, dates, numbers and sources, especially for health, money or legal questions.
On ITG Now, our guides and news stories remind you to check AI answers, since models can get facts wrong.
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Questions people ask about Hallucination
Why does AI make things up?
It predicts likely words, not true facts. When it lacks the answer, it may still produce something that sounds good.
How can I avoid AI hallucinations?
Ask for sources, give it your own documents, and check key facts yourself.