Guide
What is a chatbot hallucination?
Short answerA “hallucination” is when an AI chatbot states something false or made up as if it were true, such as a return period you don’t offer. The US standards body NIST calls this “confabulation”.
Why it happens
AI chatbots write the most likely-sounding answer. If their content is missing, outdated or unclear, they can fill the gap with something plausible but wrong. NIST’s Generative AI Profile lists confabulation as one of the main risks of generative AI.
How to catch it
See how to test your website chatbot.
- Compare answers with your own policy pages.
- Ask leading questions with a wrong premise.
- Re-test after every content change.