086 When AI Gets It Wrong: Mistakes, Verification, Privacy, and Responsible Use

AI Boot Camp Series:
... Learn AI one real-world task at a time.

Artificial intelligence can be remarkably helpful.

It can organize complicated information, create useful first drafts, explain unfamiliar subjects, compare options, and help people think through everyday problems ...It can also be wrong.

When AI Gets It Wrong

An AI answer may sound clear, polished, and confident while containing:

Responsible AI use does not mean avoiding AI.

It means understanding its limits, checking important information, protecting private data, and keeping human judgment involved.

AI Can Sound More Certain Than It Is

One of the most important things to understand is that confidence and correctness are not the same.

AI is designed to produce a useful response in natural language.

That response may sound authoritative even when the information is incomplete or uncertain.

For example, AI may say:

This fitting is definitely the correct size for your project.

But if the pipe was never measured, the answer may be based on an assumption.

Or AI may say:

This store has the item in stock.

But the inventory information may be outdated, unavailable, or connected to the wrong store location.

A polished answer should never be confused with verified evidence.

Why Does AI Make Mistakes?

AI may make mistakes for several reasons.

Missing Context

AI may not know an important detail about your project, customer, location, budget, or intended use.

Incorrect Assumptions

If information is missing, AI may try to fill the gap with a likely answer.

Outdated Information

Prices, laws, business hours, product specifications, software, and public information can change.

Ambiguous Instructions

A word, measurement, date, or goal may be interpreted differently than you intended.

Incomplete Source Material

If AI is summarizing a document, photograph, webpage, or spreadsheet, important details may be unclear or unavailable.

Pattern-Based Answers

AI may generate a response that resembles common examples even when those examples do not apply to the specific situation.

A Mistake Does Not Always Look Obvious

Some AI errors are easy to notice.

A measurement may be clearly wrong.

A date may be impossible.

A product may not match the photograph.

Other mistakes are more subtle.

The answer may contain:

These answers can be especially dangerous because most of the response appears useful.

Ask AI What It Is Assuming

One of the simplest ways to improve an answer is to ask AI to identify its assumptions.

List every important assumption you made when creating this answer.

Or:

Separate what is known, what is estimated, and what still needs to be confirmed.

Or:

Which parts of this answer depend on information I have not provided?

This may reveal that AI assumed:

Once the assumptions are visible, you can correct or verify them.

Ask AI to Show Its Uncertainty

AI answers are often more useful when uncertainty is clearly labeled.

You might say:

Do not present uncertain information as confirmed. Clearly label estimates, assumptions, and details that require verification.

Or:

If you cannot confirm a price, inventory level, model number, or store location, say that it is unconfirmed rather than guessing.

This encourages a more cautious and transparent answer.

Use the “What Should I Verify?” Question

Before acting on an important answer, ask:

Which parts of this answer should I independently verify?

Depending on the task, AI may identify:

This question helps turn verification into a normal part of the process.

Verify High-Risk Information

Not every AI answer requires the same level of review.

A brainstorming list of article titles may require only a quick judgment.

A recommendation involving wiring, medication, contracts, taxes, or structural work requires much more care.

The higher the possible cost or harm, the more carefully the information should be verified.

Always Use Extra Caution With:

AI may help you understand the subject or prepare questions, but qualified professionals and official sources should guide the final decision.

Use AI to Prepare for an Expert

AI can still be very useful with high-risk subjects.

Instead of asking it to make the final decision, ask it to help prepare for a professional conversation.

For example:

Create a list of questions I should ask a licensed electrician about this project.

Or:

Help me organize the facts and documents I should bring to my accountant.

Or:

Explain this medical term in plain language so I can discuss it more clearly with my doctor.

This keeps AI in a supporting role.

Check the Original Source

When AI summarizes a report, policy, agreement, article, or manual, important decisions should still be based on the original source.

A summary may leave out:

You might ask AI:

Identify the exact sections of the original document that I should read before making a decision.

Or:

Separate direct statements from the document from your interpretation.

Verify Quotes and Sources

AI may sometimes provide a quotation, study, law, book, product, or website that sounds convincing but is incorrect, incomplete, or difficult to locate.

Before publishing or relying on a source, verify:

You can ask:

Provide the sources for these claims and clearly identify anything you cannot verify.

Even then, check the source yourself when accuracy matters.

Check Dates Carefully

Dates can easily create confusion.

Words such as:

may become unclear, especially in a long conversation or older document.

Use exact dates when the timing matters.

Confirm whether this information is current as of July 31, 2026.

Or:

Replace relative dates with exact calendar dates.

This is especially important for schedules, deadlines, prices, laws, and product availability.

Check Measurements and Units

AI may misunderstand spoken measurements, convert units incorrectly, or build a calculation around the wrong number.

Before ordering materials, verify:

A useful instruction is:

Repeat every measurement and unit you are using before completing the calculation.

You may also ask:

Show the calculation step by step so I can check it.

Check Product Compatibility

Products that look similar may not be compatible.

Before purchasing, verify:

AI may help identify what to check, but the package, manual, manufacturer, or qualified salesperson should confirm compatibility.

Check Prices and Inventory

Prices and inventory can change quickly.

AI may find:

Before making a special trip, confirm the information directly through the retailer's current website, app, or telephone number.

You might ask AI:

Include the date checked, package size, selected store location, and whether inventory is confirmed or only listed online.

Watch for Hidden Assumptions in Recommendations

A recommendation may be sensible for one person and wrong for another.

For example, AI may recommend:

Before accepting a recommendation, ask:

What type of user or situation is this recommendation best suited for?

Or:

What circumstances would make this a poor choice?

Ask for More Than One Option

AI may present one solution as though it is the only reasonable approach.

Ask for alternatives.

Give me three possible approaches and compare the advantages, disadvantages, cost, difficulty, and risk.

Or:

What is the strongest alternative to your recommendation?

Comparing options reduces the chance of following the first plausible answer without reflection.

Ask AI to Disagree With Itself

AI often tries to be agreeable.

You can ask it to challenge its own answer.

Review your recommendation as a skeptical expert. Identify weaknesses, risks, and reasons it might fail.

Or:

Give me the strongest argument against the plan you suggested.

Or:

What evidence would change this recommendation?

This can reveal assumptions or tradeoffs that were not obvious in the first response.

Use a Second Review

For important work, review the answer in more than one way.

You might:

Agreement between two AI responses does not prove that the answer is correct, but differences may reveal areas needing more investigation.

Review AI-Written Messages Before Sending

An AI-written email may be polished but still inappropriate.

Before sending, check:

Ask yourself:

Do Not Let AI Invent Missing Business Facts

When creating website content, proposals, reports, or marketing materials, tell AI not to fill gaps with invented information.

Use only the facts I have provided. Add visible placeholders for missing details rather than inventing them.

This can help prevent false claims about:

Privacy Begins With What You Share

AI can only protect information that you choose not to provide unnecessarily.

Before entering private information, ask:

Provide enough context for the task, but avoid unrelated sensitive details.

Information You Should Not Casually Share

Be especially careful with:

Even when an AI tool has privacy controls, unnecessary sharing creates unnecessary risk.

Remove Identifying Information

Often, AI can help without knowing the person's identity.

Instead of writing:

John Smith of 24 Main Street owes us $2,430.

You could write:

A longtime customer has an overdue balance of approximately $2,400. Help me draft a respectful payment reminder.

The task can be completed without sharing the customer's name and address.

Review Photographs Before Uploading

A photograph may contain more information than the subject you intended to show.

Look for:

Crop the image when possible.

Share only the part needed for the question.

Review Screenshots Before Sharing

Screenshots may reveal:

Before uploading, crop or cover unrelated private information.

Businesses Need Clear AI Rules

Employees may begin using AI before the business has discussed appropriate use.

Even a small organization may benefit from simple guidelines covering:

The policy does not need to be complicated.

It should make expectations clear.

Create a Human Review Rule

A business may use a simple process:

  1. AI creates or organizes the first draft.
  2. A person checks the facts and tone.
  3. The responsible person approves the result.
  4. The final version is sent, published, purchased, or acted upon.

AI may assist with the work, but accountability remains with the people using it.

Do Not Let AI Make Unreviewed Employment Decisions

AI should not be blindly trusted to decide:

AI may work from incomplete information or reflect unfair patterns.

It may help organize job descriptions, interview questions, or training material, but significant employment decisions require responsible human review.

Do Not Use AI to Impersonate People

AI can imitate writing styles, voices, images, and communication patterns.

That ability should be used carefully.

Do not use AI to:

Convenience does not justify dishonesty.

Be Honest About AI Assistance When It Matters

Not every AI-assisted sentence needs a special announcement.

Using AI to improve grammar or organize private notes may be similar to using other writing tools.

However, disclosure may be appropriate when:

The goal is to avoid misleading people about how the work was created.

Do Not Publish AI Content Without Adding Human Knowledge

AI can create large amounts of content quickly.

That does not mean every draft should be published.

Before publishing, add:

AI can help shape the article.

The human contribution is what makes it trustworthy, useful, and distinctive.

Watch for Bias

AI may reflect patterns, assumptions, and biases found in the information used to create it.

This can affect:

You might ask:

Review this answer for assumptions or language that may unfairly favor or disadvantage a group.

Human review is especially important when the answer affects people, opportunities, or access to services.

Do Not Confuse Popular With Correct

AI may reflect commonly repeated ideas.

A widely repeated claim may still be:

Ask:

Is this a well-established fact, a common opinion, a disputed claim, or an estimate?

This can help clarify the strength of the answer.

Do Not Ask AI to Confirm What You Already Believe

It is easy to frame a question so that AI simply agrees.

For example:

Explain why my business idea will be successful.

A more useful request would be:

Evaluate this business idea fairly. Explain the strongest reasons it may succeed and the strongest reasons it may fail.

AI should help test an idea, not merely reinforce it.

Watch for Emotional Overreliance

AI can be patient, available, and easy to talk with.

That can be helpful.

However, AI does not replace:

Use AI as a tool for reflection and organization, while continuing to rely on appropriate people and professionals for important emotional and personal support.

Know When to Stop Asking AI

Sometimes the next step is not another AI question.

The next step may be:

AI can help prepare you for action, but it should not become a way to endlessly delay action.

Use a Verification Checklist

Before using an important AI answer, ask:

This short review may prevent a costly mistake.

A Responsible AI Prompt

Here is a useful instruction that can be added to important requests:

Help me think through this task, but do not present assumptions as facts. Clearly separate confirmed information, estimates, and unknowns. Identify the parts that require current information, professional review, local verification, or accurate measurements. Do not invent missing details. At the end, give me a checklist of what I should verify before acting.

Five Verification Prompts to Try

Identify Assumptions

List every important assumption you made and explain how each one affects the answer.

Find Weaknesses

Review this answer as a skeptical expert. Identify errors, weak reasoning, missing information, and possible alternatives.

Separate Certainty

Separate confirmed facts, likely conclusions, estimates, opinions, and unknowns.

Create a Verification List

Create a checklist of facts, measurements, prices, dates, sources, and requirements I should verify before acting.

Protect Privacy

Review the information I plan to share and identify private or identifying details that are unnecessary for this task.

Responsible Use Makes AI More Useful

Responsible AI use is not about distrusting every answer.

It is about matching the level of verification to the importance of the decision.

A creative title can be judged creatively.

A material calculation should be measured and checked.

A store price should be confirmed.

A medical concern should involve a medical professional.

A legal decision should involve qualified legal guidance.

A customer message should be reviewed by the person responsible for the relationship.

AI Is an Assistant, Not the Final Authority

AI is most valuable when combined with human knowledge.

AI can help:

The person still provides:

Use AI With Curiosity and Care

AI does not need to be perfect to be valuable.

It only needs to be used thoughtfully.

Ask good questions.

Provide useful context.

Notice assumptions.

Verify important details.

Protect private information.

Keep people responsible for the final result.

When AI gets something wrong, correct it.

When the answer matters, verify it.

When the subject requires an expert, involve one.

That is not a limitation of practical AI use.

That is what responsible AI use looks like.

AI Starter Kit is a practical Zehr.net series exploring how individuals, organizations, and small businesses can use artificial intelligence to save time, improve communication, organize projects, and solve everyday problems.

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Brad Zehr | Zehr.net | brad@zehr.net

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