garbage in, garbage out

Cultural  

1. This saying points out the fact that a computer can do only what it is programmed to do and is only as good as the data it receives and the instructions it is given. If there is a logical error in software, or if incorrect data are entered, the result will probably be either a wrong answer or a system crash.

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The saying is sometimes shortened to “GIGO” (GUY-go).

Example Sentences

"At its core, AI is fundamentally 'garbage in, garbage out' - its outputs reflect the data it is trained on, and the weights given to it," he says.

From BBC

In response to the old adage “garbage in, garbage out”, Ms Teevan says Microsoft is currently doing a lot of work to ensure that Copilot’s “AI prompting” is as good as possible.

From BBC

Artificial so-called intelligence is hardly immune to a dynamic that computer experts long ago dubbed "GIGO" — garbage in, garbage out.

From Salon

The old adage, "garbage in, garbage out" still holds true.

From Salon

The old adage, "garbage in, garbage out" still holds true.

From Salon