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How do you explain LLM limitations to non-technical stakeholders without killing enthusiasm?
30-second answerSay your answer out loud first, then reveal.
Common limitations, explained
| Limitation | Plain-language version | Mitigation to mention |
|---|---|---|
| Hallucination | "It can state wrong things confidently." | Answers grounded in your documents, with citations; human review for important decisions |
| Knowledge cutoff | "It doesn't know your latest policies unless we connect them." | Connect to your live documents and systems |
| Inconsistency | "Ask twice, you may get slightly different wording." | Structured outputs, validation, consistent templates |
| Maths and exact data | "It's not a calculator or a database." | Calculations done by code; numbers pulled from systems |
| Security risks | "Hidden instructions in documents can trick it." | Limited permissions; approvals for actions |
Techniques
- Show, don't tell: a side-by-side of 10 real cases, 8 great and 2 flawed, and how the review step catches the flawed ones.
- Use their numbers: "On your 200 test cases, it was correct 91% of the time; the misses were mostly handwritten forms."
- Frame it as augmentation: time saved for their team, not replacement.
- Avoid jargon: say "sources" instead of "RAG", "checks" instead of "guardrails".
Related
This is what real progress feels like.