Introduction to Hallucinated Links
New research examining 16 million URLs has confirmed Google’s predictions that hallucinated links will become a problem across AI platforms. An Ahrefs study shows that AI assistants send users to broken web pages nearly three times more often than Google Search. This data comes six months after Google’s John Mueller raised awareness about this issue.
What are Hallucinated Links?
Hallucinated links refer to fake or non-existent URLs created by AI assistants. These links can lead to error pages, causing frustration for users. The study found that ChatGPT creates the most fake URLs among all AI assistants tested, with 1% of clicked URLs leading to 404 pages. In comparison, Google’s rate is just 0.15%.
AI Assistants and Hallucinated Links
The study tested several AI assistants, including ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Perplexity, Gemini, and Mistral. The results showed that:
- ChatGPT had the highest rate of broken links, with 2.38% of mentioned URLs leading to error pages.
- Claude came in second, with 0.58% broken links for clicked URLs.
- Copilot had 0.34%, Perplexity 0.31%, and Gemini 0.21%.
- Mistral had the best rate, with 0.12% broken links, but it also sends the least traffic to websites.
Why Do AI Assistants Create Fake Links?
The research found two main reasons why AI creates fake links. First, some URLs used to exist but don’t anymore. When AI relies on old information instead of searching the web in real-time, it might suggest pages that have been deleted or moved. Second, AI sometimes invents URLs that sound right but never existed. For example, AI assistants created fake URLs like "/blog/internal-links/" and "/blog/newsletter/" for Ahrefs, because these sound like pages Ahrefs might have, but they don’t actually exist.
Impact on Website Traffic
The problem of hallucinated links may seem significant, but most websites won’t notice much impact. AI assistants only bring in about 0.25% of website traffic, compared to Google, which drives 39.35% of traffic. This means fake URLs affect a tiny portion of an already small traffic source. However, the issue might grow as more people use AI for research and information. The study also found that 74% of new web pages contain AI-generated content, which can spread the problem further.
Google’s Prediction
Google’s John Mueller predicted that hallucinated links would become a problem, and the study’s findings confirm his prediction. He forecasted a "slight uptick of these hallucinated links being clicked" over the next 6-12 months. Mueller suggested focusing on better 404 pages rather than chasing accidental traffic. His advice to collect data before making big changes looks smart now, given the small traffic impact Ahrefs found.
Looking Forward
For now, most websites should focus on two things: creating helpful 404 pages for users who hit broken links, and setting up redirects only for fake URLs that get meaningful traffic. This allows you to handle the problem without overreacting to what remains a minor issue for most sites. By taking these steps, websites can provide a better user experience and prepare for any potential growth in the use of AI assistants.
Conclusion
The problem of hallucinated links is real, and it’s essential for websites to be aware of it. While the impact is currently small, it’s crucial to take steps to handle the issue and provide a better user experience. By creating helpful 404 pages and setting up redirects, websites can minimize the effects of hallucinated links and prepare for any potential growth in the use of AI assistants. As AI technology continues to evolve, it’s likely that the problem of hallucinated links will fade, but for now, it’s essential to be proactive and take steps to address the issue.