Explainable Generative AI: A Two-Stage Review of Existing Techniques and Future Research Directions
Prabha M. Kumarage; Mirka Saarela · 2026 · AI
WASTE classifies this as Negative / Null Result Report · AI classification, approximate
The study found no significant effect — useful as a negative control or null benchmark for your own design.
Abstract
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) models produce increasingly sophisticated outputs, yet their underlying mechanisms remain opaque. To clarify how explainability is conceptualized and implemented in GenAI research, this two-stage review systematically examined 261 articles retrieved from six major databases. After removing duplicates and applying predefined inclusion criteria, 63 articles were retained for full analysis. In the first stage, an umbrella review synthesized insights from 18 review papers to identify prevailing frameworks, strategies, and conceptual challenges surrounding
Abstract by Prabha M. Kumarage; Mirka Saarela, AI (2026) — licensed CC BY 4.0.
About to run something similar?
Run an AI Precheck on your own design to catch failure modes like this one before you spend the time. Your first desk check is free.
Related failures
Leakage and the reproducibility crisis in machine-learning-based science
Negative / Null Result ReportDefining and detecting quantum speedup
Negative / Null Result ReportService robots in hotels: understanding the service quality perceptions of human-robot interaction
Negative / Null Result ReportBoosting methods for multi-class imbalanced data classification: an experimental review
Negative / Null Result ReportFINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: A META‐ANALYSIS
Negative / Null Result ReportThe impact of site-specific digital histology signatures on deep learning model accuracy and bias
WASTE indexes this work — it does not host or republish it. Failure-type classification is automated and approximate.
Metadata source: OpenAlex · DOI 10.3390/ai7010031
