AI tools can write a polished email or summary in seconds. They can also get things wrong just as confidently: a made-up statistic, a wrong date, a source that doesn’t exist. These errors are often called “hallucinations”.
If you use AI in your business, or someone on your team does, a few simple checks will stop these mistakes from reaching your clients.
Why AI gets things wrong
AI writing tools predict likely words based on patterns. They don’t look facts up unless they’re connected to a search tool, and even then they can misread a source. So they’re very good at fluent writing and less reliable on specific facts, numbers and quotes.
The most common mistakes
| Type of mistake | Example | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Invented facts or statistics | “72% of small businesses…” with no source | Ask for the source and open it |
| Wrong dates or numbers | A deadline or price that has changed | Compare with the original email, invoice or website |
| Fake sources or links | A study or article that doesn’t exist | Click every link before sending |
| Misquoted people | A quote someone never said | Find the original wording |
| Outdated information | Old pricing, policies or rules | Check the official page directly |
A simple fact-check routine
- Mark anything specific. Names, numbers, dates, prices, quotes and links are the things most likely to be wrong.
- Check against the original. Compare with your own records, the client’s email or the official website.
- Ask the AI for its sources. Then open them. If it can’t give a real source, treat the claim as unconfirmed.
- Read it as the client would. Does it sound like you? Does it promise anything you can’t deliver?
- When in doubt, leave it out. A shorter, accurate message is better than a longer one with a mistake.
Using AI in your admin already?
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Get the free AI Admin AuditHow to get fewer mistakes in the first place
- Give the AI the facts yourself, such as the email thread, price list or meeting notes, and ask it to use only those.
- Ask it to say “I don’t know” when it isn’t sure.
- Use a research tool that shows sources, such as Perplexity, for anything factual.
- Keep a short list of facts that must always be right: your prices, hours, policies and links.
Where a person still matters
AI is good at drafts. It isn’t responsible for what gets sent. In my Admin Support Team, AI speeds up routine work, and every client-facing task is checked by a person, then by me, before it goes out.
About the author
I’m Feby Lunag, based in Baguio City, Philippines. I’ve worked remotely for 13+ years, including as Executive Assistant to a SaaS CEO and about 9 years with a US publicly listed company, with 100% Job Success on Upwork. Today I help business owners set up AI-assisted admin, either hands-on or through my Admin Support Team.
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