Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsStop relying on or sharing the output until you have checked it. Verify important claims against authoritative sources, protect any sensitive information that may be involved, report the response through the tool or your organization, and get qualified human help when the stakes are serious. The right escalation route depends on the tool, the harm, your organization, and where you live.
What should you do first?
- Pause and contain the output. Do not use it to make a consequential decision or publish it while its accuracy and effects are uncertain. If it could harm someone or spread damaging material, avoid reposting it and use the platform’s reporting option or your organization’s responsible channel.
- Check the claims. Compare factual statements with original documents and authoritative sources. For high-stakes questions, ask a qualified person to review them. The FTC has warned that AI can be inaccurate, biased, or poor at recognizing context, and says it should not be treated as a solution to harmful online content (FTC report announcement).
- Limit further exposure. Do not enter additional sensitive information to reproduce or investigate the problem. If the output appears to reveal personal or organizational information, stop circulating it and follow the relevant privacy or security incident process.
- Report it with enough context to explain the concern. Use the product’s reporting channel if one is available. In a workplace, follow internal policy and contact the designated privacy, safety, or AI oversight official. Record only what is needed to describe what happened—such as the tool, approximate time, prompt, output, and concern—and avoid unnecessary circulation or retention of sensitive material.
- Escalate in proportion to the risk. Seek human review for suspected discrimination, privacy exposure, or other consequential effects. If someone faces an immediate threat, prioritize their safety and contact appropriate local emergency or support services.
Choose the response route by the kind of harm
| Situation | First response | Escalation |
|---|---|---|
| Possible factual error | Hold use or sharing and check original sources; ask a qualified reviewer when consequences matter. | Have the person or team responsible for the decision or publication correct it if needed. |
| Biased or discriminatory output | Pause reliance and keep enough context to explain the concern. | Report it to the tool owner or relevant organizational review channel and examine who may have been affected. NIST notes that AI can increase the speed and scale of harmful bias (NIST bias overview). |
| Possible exposure of sensitive information | Stop adding sensitive data and avoid further circulation of the exposed material. | Follow the applicable organization’s privacy or security incident process. Requirements vary; institutional guidance is not a universal consumer rule. |
| Severe or immediate harm | Prioritize the affected person’s safety and do not amplify harmful content. | Report through the platform and contact appropriate local support or emergency services. UNESCO’s relevant guidance specifically concerns technology-facilitated gender-based violence and platform response; it should not be treated as a universal protocol for every kind of harm (UNESCO guidance). |
Why an AI response needs human review
A fluent answer is not proof that its claims are correct or that it understands the situation. NIST’s trustworthiness framework includes validity and reliability, safety, security and resilience, accountability and transparency, explainability, privacy, and fairness with harmful-bias mitigation. Its voluntary AI Risk Management Framework is intended for developers, users, and evaluators to consider risks across design, deployment, use, and testing (NIST AI Risk Management Framework overview; NIST AI RMF FAQs). These are principles for managing risk, not a guarantee that a particular response is safe.
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Some harmful output may also involve security attacks against an AI system. NIST’s March 24, 2025 announcement of an adversarial machine-learning taxonomy includes attacks targeting generative AI and possible mitigations; that material is chiefly for people who develop, evaluate, deploy, or govern AI systems (NIST adversarial machine-learning taxonomy announcement).
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Reporting depends on where the tool is used
Consumer tools
Look for the service’s current report, feedback, or safety option. The exact label and route vary by product and may change. Include a concise description of why the response is harmful or misleading, but do not submit other people’s sensitive information unless the reporting process requires it and you are authorized to share it.
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Workplace or government systems
Follow the organization’s policy and report to the designated privacy, security, safety, or AI oversight contact. Indiana FSSA guidance, for example, is for state business and directs staff to consult privacy officials before using sensitive data; CMS guidance likewise describes an institutional route for suspected or verified privacy breaches. Those examples do not establish a single procedure for all employers or consumers (Indiana FSSA AI guidance; CMS AI use policy).
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to keep when you make a report
Describe the incident factually and retain only the context needed for review. A short account can identify the tool, approximate time, relevant prompt and output, and the specific concern. Do not broadly forward harmful content or keep sensitive material longer than necessary. No single evidence-retention checklist applies to every tool or organization, so follow the relevant policy.
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