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Errors & Refusals
No Refusal State
The AI refuses a request without explanation or fallback.
3 principles3 checklist items2 simulation modes
What you will learn
Explainable Constraints
Constructive Refusal
Avoid Dead Ends
Run the simulation to see the failure in action.
Interactive Lab
Toggle between Bad and Good modes.
Anti-pattern mode
Simulation Status: Idlev2.4.0
Why it fails
When an AI refuses a request (due to safety filters or capability limits), a flat 'I cannot do that' is frustrating. Users don't know if they tweaked the prompt it would work, or if it's a hard policy violation.
Root cause
Generic safety filter responses that are not exposed to the UI logic. Lack of fine-grained error codes for refusal types.
How to fix it
Explainable Constraints
Constructive Refusal
Avoid Dead Ends
Implementation checklist
- Explain WHY the request was refused
- Offer an alternative that IS allowed
- Link to usage policy if applicable