Hallucinations are instances when an AI tool—like Google Gemini—produces information that is false, misleading, or entirely fabricated, even though it appears confident and convincing. For example, an AI might invent a citation for a research article that doesn’t exist or give an incorrect definition of a concept. These errors happen because AI models generate responses by predicting patterns in language, not by verifying facts.

Hallucinations can impact your academic work by introducing inaccurate data, unreliable citations, or misleading explanations into your assignments. To avoid these issues, always double-check AI-generated content against trusted sources such as textbooks, peer-reviewed articles, or the library’s databases, and verify all citations before including them. Remember that AI is a helpful support tool, but you remain responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the work you submit.