124 | The AI Danger Zone

Why your growing comfort with AI tools might be the riskiest part of your journey yet

Image generated by Ideogram

If you've ever taught a teenager to drive—or learned to drive yourself—you know there’s a particular stretch of road that’s more dangerous than all the rest. Both of you are anxious (even scared?) the first time you navigate that route, when nerves are high and every movement is cautious. You’re reasonably calm after hundreds of hours together chatting and listening to tunes that you both can tolerate. No, the real danger comes in the middle: when your new driver feels confident but hasn’t yet developed the instincts to handle the unexpected.

Welcome to the Danger Zone.

I’ve been seeing a very similar trend among nonprofit professionals adopting AI. They’ve made it past their first tentative experiments. They’re feeling pretty good—maybe even excited—about what ChatGPT or other tools can do. But that growing comfort can be risky. Why? Because AI can still get it wrong, and in this phase, people may stop noticing.

The Danger Zone Defined

The "Danger Zone" is that middle phase of skill development: past beginner, not yet expert. It’s where your confidence starts to outrun your caution. In the context of generative AI, it’s the moment you stop scrutinizing every answer and start assuming it’s probably right.

That’s exactly the moment hallucinations sneak through.

AI tools like ChatGPT are extraordinarily good at sounding authoritative. That makes it all the more dangerous when they present fiction as fact. The earlier you are in your AI journey, the more likely you are to triple-check. But once you start trusting too easily…

The Driving Analogy

Let’s extend the metaphor:

• New driver = cautious new AI user. You double-check everything. You’re aware of what you don’t know.

• Experienced driver = seasoned AI user with developed instincts. You know what to watch for and when to be skeptical.

• Danger zone driver = new AI enthusiast with false confidence. You’re “driving” the AI without realizing how much you’re still missing.

Just like the overconfident teen fiddling with the radio or checking a text¹, you’re vulnerable when you think you’ve “got this” but don’t yet have the experience to anticipate the deer ambling across the road².

Recognizing You're in the Zone

Some signs you might be in the AI danger zone:

• You take most AI responses at face value.

• You rarely dig deeper or ask clarifying questions.

• You use AI-generated content in public-facing or critical work without review.

• You haven’t encountered (or noticed) a major AI error in a while.

• You feel more productive but haven’t updated your verification process.

• You've started saying things like "ChatGPT says..." in meetings as if it's a trusted colleague.³

Real-World Risks and Missed Hallucinations

In the nonprofit world, here’s what that can look like:

• Invented grant sources that sound plausible but don’t exist.

• Misquoted statistics that go unchecked and end up in reports.

• Overly polished narratives that subtly distort the facts.

AI isn’t trying to deceive you—it’s just confident about things that may be completely made up. And if you’re in the danger zone, you might not catch it.

Safer Driving with AI

So how do we stay safe while still using AI tools to be more efficient and creative?

Here are some key habits:

• Read critically. Always assume the AI might be wrong, even when it sounds great.

• Ask probing questions. Don’t just take the first answer—follow up, clarify, dig.

• Peer review your AI-assisted work. Especially if it’s high-stakes.

• Keep track of hallucinations you’ve spotted. Over time, you’ll build a Spidey sense for when things feel off.

• Cross-check sources. Don’t trust—verify. If the AI says, "According to a 2021 report by XYZ," go find that report. Did it actually say what the AI claims?

Remember, safety with AI doesn’t mean avoiding it. It means using it wisely, with the same vigilance you'd bring to navigating a busy intersection.

The Moving Danger Zone

Even when you think you've graduated from the danger zone, you can find yourself right back in it. As AI tools evolve with shiny new capabilities, your carefully developed instincts can suddenly become outdated.

It's like getting comfortable driving your sedan, then hopping into a moving truck and assuming you can navigate the same way. The rules have changed, but your habits haven't caught up yet.

Take the recent trend of AI tools providing citations in their responses. It feels so much more trustworthy when ChatGPT says "According to the 2023 Nonprofit Technology Report..." But here's the kicker—those citations themselves can be completely fabricated! I've clicked on more than a few perfectly formatted, professional-looking citations only to discover they lead absolutely nowhere.⁴

Each new AI feature creates a fresh danger zone. When tools add capabilities like image generation, data analysis, or voice interaction, they're essentially handing you keys to a different vehicle. And just like that teen driver, you need to recognize when you're back in learning mode.

So remember: your AI driver's license needs regular renewal. What worked last month might not apply to next month's models.

Hallucinations I’ve Encountered (and How I Fixed Them)

To give you a better sense of how hallucinations show up—and how we can respond—here are a few examples from my own interactions with AI tools:

• The Wrong Super Bowl: I asked how many turnovers occurred in the most recent Super Bowl, and the AI started describing a game featuring the San Francisco 49ers—who weren't even in it. When I reminded it that we're in 2025, it promptly corrected itself. Turns out it wasn't sure what year it was (relatable).

• The Case of the Impossible Life Expectancy: While asking about life expectancy for an 83-year-old, I got a baffling answer: 27. Turns out the AI had misinterpreted the question. After a quick clarification, it gave a much more reasonable response.

• Cooking Confusion: I was once told to set the oven to 175 degrees for a roasted meat. Clearly wrong. I flagged it, and the AI apologized and revised the temperature to 425—which made a lot more sense.

• A Potentially Serious COVID Misread: This one still gives me pause. I uploaded a photo of a home COVID test and asked if it was positive. The response: "The image shows a COVID-19 antigen test with two lines: one at the 'C' (control) position and one at the 'T' (test) position. This typically indicates a positive result for the presence of antigens associated with COVID-19." But I didn’t see a line at the 'T' (test) position. I pointed that out, and the AI apologized and corrected itself, saying the test was negative. I followed up: "That’s a big error. Why were you wrong in the first response???" It acknowledged an "error in observation."

This last one is especially crucial. It shows how persuasive and confident AI can be—even when it’s flat-out wrong. And that’s the hallmark of the danger zone:

You might not notice the mistake unless you know what to question.

In Closing

Getting comfortable with AI is a huge milestone—but it shouldn’t lull you into a false sense of security. The danger zone is real, and if you’re aware of it, you’re already taking a big step toward safer, smarter AI use.

So whether you’re cruising along or just getting started:

Stay alert. Stay curious. And always...

Make Good Choices

Want to share your own “danger zone” moment or tip? Drop a comment below!

1. Because obviously nothing says “I’ve got this under control” like checking a text at 65 mph. 🙄

2. By the way, if a deer does cross in front of you, watch for more … They’re seldom alone!

3. Guilty as charged!

4. See this notable case for an example that you don’t want to mimic.