Concern 97 · Working draft · editorial review in progress
Fabricated citations
A fabricated citation is a reference to a source that does not exist, even though its title, author, or link looks plausible.
Understanding the concern
Language models can produce the shape of a bibliography without retrieving a real publication. They can also make smaller errors in references to genuine works; an incorrect date is not the same as an invented paper.
Research has documented both kinds of error in particular systems. Readers should open the source and check that it supports the claim, rather than merely confirm that a similarly named page exists. Asking the same model whether its citation is real is not independent verification.
An example
A reference lists a convincing article title and journal, but the journal has no record of publishing it.
Illustrative unless identified as a documented case.
Words in plain English
- Model
- The learned part of an AI system. It uses patterns found during training to produce an answer or prediction.
Evidence and its limits
The study distinguishes fabricated works from mistakes in citations to real works; its rates are not current universal estimates.
Scientific Reports · 2023 · Research study
Fabrication and errors in the bibliographic citations generated by ChatGPT ↗ (opens in a new tab)Examines fabricated references and errors in references to real works in the models and tasks studied.
Broader frameworks and background
These resources provide context. They do not establish every claim in this concern.
A question to discuss
Can we locate the exact source and the passage that supports this claim?
Keep track of different views, what needs checking, and any next step in your own discussion notes.
Open discussion notes →Principles for the conversation
Before you finish · reflect together
Virtues and principles to consider
Virtues are qualities we practice in how we treat people and make choices. They are not scores for judging someone. Use these ideas to explore what a thoughtful response could look like.
Humility
Humility means recognizing the limits of our knowledge and being willing to learn from others. Expertise can be valuable without answering every question.
State where evidence is weak, invite criticism, and listen to people with different experience. Leave room to revise a decision when new information appears.
Ask together: What might we be missing, and who could help us see it?
Prudence
Prudence means using careful judgment before and during action. It balances worthwhile opportunities with the need to avoid harm that could have been anticipated.
Start with a limited trial, set stopping points, and prefer choices that can be undone when uncertainty is high. Review what happens rather than assuming the original plan remains sound.
Ask together: What is a careful next step, and when should we stop or change course?
Truthfulness
Truthfulness means making claims that match the evidence and being clear about what we do not know. It includes correcting mistakes rather than protecting a polished story.
Check sources, label guesses, and distinguish a trial result from a proven benefit. If AI helped produce a claim, someone still needs to take responsibility for checking it.
Ask together: What can we honestly say, and what still needs checking?
Editorial ratings
These are editorial judgments from the register, not measured probabilities or predictions about your situation.
About the register and scoring →More ways to explore
Search for more writing
For more specific or recent material, open a search below or ask for a web summary. AI-generated summaries can contain mistakes; open the original articles to check them.