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ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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Context Poisoning: Inadvertent Epistemic Contamination in AI Conversation

Authors: Longmire, JAMES (JD);

Context Poisoning: Inadvertent Epistemic Contamination in AI Conversation

Abstract

This paper identifies and formalizes context poisoning: the inadvertent introduction of a concept, frame, or term into an AI conversation that biases subsequent outputs by persisting in the context window. Unlike prompt injection (adversarial, deliberate) or hallucination (structural fabrication), context poisoning is accidental, cumulative, and self-reinforcing. Contaminated outputs mimic coherent reasoning but reflect statistical proximity rather than independent evaluation. Neither the system nor the user can detect the contamination from within the interaction because it presents as thematic consistency rather than bias. The paper grounds context poisoning in the AI Dunning-Kruger (AIDK) framework, analyzes its interaction with the Interactive Dunning-Kruger Effect (IDKE), identifies boundary conditions where the mechanism is minimal, and proposes mitigation strategies organized by Human-Curated, AI-Enabled (HCAE) deployment tiers. Appendix A provides synthetic demonstrations of the mechanism under controlled professional scenarios. Context poisoning is not a bug to be patched but a structural consequence of how probability-based systems use conversational context.

Related Organizations
Keywords

context poisoning; AI epistemology; context window; AIDK; epistemic contamination; large language models; conversational AI; HCAE; IDKE; probability field; agentic systems

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green