Hallucination autopsy procedure
Definition
The hallucination autopsy procedure is a teaching routine for checking a chatbot’s proof, locating an error, and examining a possible explanation for it.
Explanation
Start with the claim the problem actually asks you to prove. Then compare each step with that claim and the assumptions you are allowed to use. The aim is to find a specific divergence, rather than decide whether the whole answer sounds convincing.
| Label | Purpose | Action |
|---|---|---|
| A0 | Calibrate your reliance | Before reading, write down how much you expect to rely on the response for this kind of problem and why. Revisit that judgment after checking it. |
| A1 | Restate the claim as given | Write the exact claim, including its assumptions, domain, and right-hand side. |
| A2 | Extract the rule the chatbot actually used | Identify the formula or inference used in the response. Compare it with the rule the response says it used. |
| A3 | Locate the first divergence | Mark the first line that no longer follows from the stated claim, assumptions, or earlier steps. |
| A4 | Test a small case | Check an appropriate small case by hand. A counterexample can refute a general claim; matching cases do not prove it. Check the derivation as well. |
| A5 | Classify the failure mode | Describe the error. Use axiom reversion, invalid syntactic shortcut, or spatial or counting miscount when one fits; the list is not exhaustive. |
| A6 | Explain why the failure was likely | Offer a possible explanation and distinguish it from what you observed. The response alone does not reveal the model’s training data or internal cause. |
After checking, return to your initial judgment about reliance. What evidence changed it? That reflection is useful even when the response turns out to be correct.
Scope and evidence
Procedure A was taught in the Summer 2026 classroom study and presented in the Game AI lecture. The preprint reports an ongoing analysis; the effectiveness of this procedure has not been established.
Sources
Related concepts
Axiom reversion · Invalid syntactic shortcut · Spatial or counting miscount