Why references cannot be trusted.
WHAT HAPPENS
Ask for sources and you receive citations: authors, titles, journals, years, page numbers.
They look entirely real. Many do not exist.
Sometimes real sources are cited for claims they do not make.
WHY
The model generates text resembling citations. It is not searching a database.
WHAT HAS RESULTED
Lawyers sanctioned for filing fabricated cases Academic papers withdrawn Published articles corrected Professional embarrassment across several fields
WHY IT KEEPS HAPPENING
The citations are convincing, and checking them is tedious.
People check the ones that look unusual, which are not the ones that are wrong.
THE ONLY SAFE PRACTICE
Retrieve and read every source before citing it.
Not verify existence. Read it.
WHAT IS SAFER
Tools that search and link to actual sources.
Even then, follow the link and read it.
THE RULE
If you have not read it, do not cite it.
