AI errors vs traditional errors

Traditional software follows clear rules. A calculator processes the same equation the same way every time. When you type 2+2, you always get 4. When something goes wrong, you can trace the exact cause and fix it so the error never happens again.

AI systems work differently. They make predictions based on patterns learned from data. This means they can give wrong answers even when functioning perfectly. IBM's Watson for Oncology demonstrated this clearly. The supercomputer analyzed cancer cases and made treatment recommendations, but doctors found themselves rejecting its suggestions, not because Watson was broken, but because its probabilistic recommendations didn't align with their medical judgment.^[1][2]