Fluent isn't the same as true.
A hallucination is a confident answer that's made up. It isn't a glitch. It's what a prediction engine does when it has nothing solid to predict from.
No source
The Gap
Asked for a fact it never had, it produces the most plausible-sounding one instead.
Built to answer
The Pressure
Trained to be helpful, “I don't know” comes less naturally than a confident guess.
Vague input
The Fog
Ambiguous prompts, missing context and niche topics all widen the room for invention.
Sources: Mata v. Avianca, Inc., 678 F.Supp.3d 443 ↗ · Sunday Times ↗
Verify before it leaves the building.