Plain language: When an AI generates information that sounds confident and plausible but is factually wrong or entirely made up.

Technical: A failure mode in generative AI in which the model produces outputs that are statistically coherent, fitting learned patterns of language, but factually inaccurate, unsupported or fabricated. Commonly manifests as invented citations, non-existent sources, or false factual claims presented with apparent confidence.

Misconception: Because the word is borrowed from psychology, people may assume the AI is experiencing something perception-like, or that using AI could affect the user's own mental state. The term refers only to a specific technical error pattern in text generation.

Real-world example: An AI chatbot confidently producing a list of academic references, all with plausible author names, journals and dates, none of which actually exist. Markers encountering student submissions may find such fabricated reference lists.

Related terms: Generative AI · AI Model · Prompt