Pause before acting on or sharing the output. Save the exchange and its context, verify important claims independently, and report the response through the service’s official channel. If it affected a real decision—such as a credit application—contact the organization responsible and use its review process. The right escalation depends on the service, the type of harm, and where you live.
First, stop the harm from spreading
If an AI response could cause physical, financial, legal, employment, educational, or reputational harm, do not rely on it or repost it as established fact until you have checked it. If someone may be in immediate danger, seek appropriate local emergency or professional help rather than waiting for an AI provider to reply.
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Preserve the exchange and relevant context
Keep the original response and enough information to explain how it arose. Record the prompt or input, service and model label if visible, date and time with time zone, relevant settings, and any decision or action that followed. This is practical documentation, not a universal legal evidence requirement. Before sharing a record, remove unrelated personal or confidential information.
Check the claims independently
Break the answer into claims that can be checked, then compare material claims with reliable, independent sources: for example, an official record, regulator, court, original study, or qualified professional. A confident tone is not proof. OpenAI cautions that ChatGPT may produce fabricated facts, quotations, studies, citations, or references, and advises checking important information against reliable sources. Its guidance puts it plainly: “ChatGPT can be helpful—but it’s not always right.” OpenAI Help Center: Does ChatGPT tell the truth?
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Check any citation the system provides by opening the source and confirming that it exists and supports the specific claim. A citation appearing in an answer does not establish either point.
Report the output to the service
Use the provider’s current in-product report control or official support channel. Reporting steps differ by service and may change. For ChatGPT, OpenAI’s Help Center describes using the thumbs-down control on a message, choosing an issue, and selecting “Safety or Legal concern.” It also describes an online form for reporting content that may violate its terms or applicable law. These steps are specific to OpenAI; they should not be assumed to match another service’s interface. OpenAI Help Center: Reporting Content in ChatGPT and OpenAI Platforms
Check privacy before submitting feedback
A report may include more than the message you are concerned about. OpenAI says that feedback, including a thumbs-up or thumbs-down, may result in the entire conversation associated with that feedback being used to improve its models, even if the user opted out of model improvement. Review the provider’s current policy and settings, minimize sensitive details, and avoid sending confidential information through an unsuitable channel. OpenAI Help Center: How your data is used to improve model performance
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A chatbot report alone may not address a real-world outcome. If an AI-generated answer or recommendation affected a denial, score, or other institutional decision, contact the organization that made or administered the decision. Ask for the applicable reasons and review process, and correct inaccurate underlying information through the organization’s process.
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U.S. credit decisions
For U.S. credit applications, CFPB Circular 2022-03 says that creditors using complex algorithms, including AI or machine learning, remain subject to the adverse-action notice requirements of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Regulation B. The notice must give specific, accurate reasons. The CFPB states: “Whether a creditor is using a sophisticated machine learning algorithm or more conventional methods to evaluate a consumer’s credit application, the legal requirement is the same: creditors must provide applicants against whom adverse action is taken with an accurate statement of reasons.” This example concerns U.S. credit decisions; it is not a rule for every automated decision or jurisdiction. CFPB Circular 2022-03
When bias or discrimination may be involved
Keep a factual account of what happened, including the relevant output, context, and decision. Seek a suitable local regulator, ombuds office, advocacy organization, or qualified legal adviser if you believe the incident involved discrimination. NIST notes that AI can potentially increase the speed and scale of harmful biases; its March 2022 publication was a first step toward methods to identify, understand, measure, and manage bias. That general concern does not by itself establish that a particular output was discriminatory or resolve an individual claim. NIST: AI Research—Identifying & Managing Harmful Bias in AI
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose escalation based on the situation
- Urgency and potential harm: address immediate safety needs with appropriate local help.
- Informational answer or formal outcome: verify an informational claim; for an institutional decision, also contact the organization responsible.
- Service and privacy: use the provider’s current reporting route after checking what data feedback may include.
- Location and subject: identify the relevant local rules, regulator, and deadlines; channels and remedies vary.
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Rights, complaint channels, deadlines, and remedies depend on location, subject, and the facts. A July 1, 2026 FTC item described a proposed policy statement about possible consumer deception when AI systems are steered away from user objectives; a proposal is not a blanket finding that every inaccurate AI answer is unlawful. FTC proposed policy statement on AI accuracy
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