Story
When an AI answer is wrong, I want to say what was wrong in 1 or 2 taps, so the people who build it can fix that kind of mistake.
Sipho, a bookkeeper in Johannesburg, checking an invoice on his phone between clients.
- 01 Setting
Sipho asks how much VAT to add to a R2,000 invoice.
- 02 Trigger
The answer uses 14%. The rate has been 15% since 2018.
- 03 Without it
He taps thumbs down. The team sees 1 unhappy person, but not why.
- 04 With it
The thumb opens a few reasons. He picks "Out of date" and adds 1 line.
- 05 Outcome
The feedback names the problem. He is back to his invoice in 10 seconds.
Live demo
This demo follows a script, so it plays the same every time - there is no real AI behind it. Change a setting to see the same moment play out differently.
What happens, step by step
| State | The person sees | The AI is | When | Screen reader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The answer, with copy and 2 thumbs under it. | Idle. | when done | “Response complete” |
| 2 | The thumb fills. A small form opens below the answer, not over it. | Idle. | on tap | “Feedback form opened” |
| 3 | 4 or 5 reasons as chips (small pill-shaped buttons). 1 tap picks 1. | Idle. | on tap | - |
| 4 | An optional note, and "Send this chat with my feedback", off until ticked. | Idle. | optional | - |
| 5 | The form closes. 1 line says what was sent. | Idle. | on Send | “Feedback sent” |
On each device
- phone
- The form opens in place under the answer, or as a short bottom sheet (a panel that slides up from the bottom). Chips wrap to 2 rows. The keyboard opens only if people tap the note.
- tablet
- As on the phone.
- desktop
- The thumbs show on hover and focus, and always on the latest answer. The form opens under the answer, never as a full-page modal (a box that blocks the rest of the page).
When to use it
- People can tell when an answer is wrong, and the team can act on what they say.
- Answers fail in a few common ways - wrong, out of date, off the ask, too long.
- A thumb alone is not enough to tell 1 kind of failure from another.
- People want to fix this answer now, not report it. Use Regenerate, edit and branches instead.
- The answer was blocked or failed - say why and offer a way on first. Use Error, refusal and limits instead.
- People judge many small items in a row, like 20 suggestions. A form on each one slows them down. A thumb is enough there.
The parts of the pattern
- AThumbs1 tap for good or bad. Always there, never in the way.
- BReasonsA short list of the common failures, in plain words. 1 tap.
- CNoteOptional. For the detail no chip can hold.
- DShare this chatOff until people tick it. Says what else goes with the feedback.
- ESendWorks with a reason alone. The note is never required.
Do and Avoid
What was wrong?
Wrong factOut of dateToo long
Add a note (optional)
Tell us more
Describe the problem (required)Submit
Out of date · VAT is 15% since 2018
☐ Send this chat with my feedback
Out of date · VAT is 15% since 2018
☑ Include chat history and files
Writing and accessibility
- Ask a short question that matches the thumb: "What was wrong?" or "What was good?".
- Name reasons by what people saw: "Out of date", "Not what I asked". Not "Hallucination" or "Low quality".
- Say what else is sent, in 1 line, next to the choice: "Send this chat with my feedback".
- Thank people in 1 line and say what was sent. Do not promise a fix you cannot make.
- Name the buttons "Good answer" and "Bad answer", and show their pressed state with aria-pressed (the code that tells a screen reader a button is on).
- Move focus into the form when it opens, and back to the thumb when it closes. Escape closes it.
- Reason chips are a group of toggle buttons with a visible label, not colour alone.
- Announce "Feedback sent" in the polite status region (the part of the page a screen reader reads out on its own). Do not use a toast (a small message that pops up and fades) that disappears before people read it.
Seen in real products
- Microsoft 365 CopilotMicrosoft 365 apps · Nov 2026Feedback starts with thumbs up or down. People can then say more. The pane asks permission before it adds the prompt, the response or files, and people can preview them first.Microsoft Support: Providing feedback about Microsoft Copilot ↗
- AWS CloudscapeDesign system · Nov 2026Thumbs down can open a dialog: "What did you dislike about the response?" with Harmful, Incomplete, Inaccurate and Other, plus notes. The dialog can be dismissed.Cloudscape: Generative AI chat ↗
Each example comes from the product’s help pages, release notes or teardowns, with the month it was checked. Products change every month - tell us when 1 is out of date.
Check yourself
Seen this pattern done better, or a product that changed? Press Suggest next to any heading, or tell us about the whole page.