Practical digital skills

Verify an AI-generated answer

Break an AI response into claims, open its cited sources and document what remains uncertain.

Step-by-step guideUpdated
Follow the method ↓
A reader compares an AI response against opened original sources

The answer in 30 seconds

A fluent answer can combine sound advice with invented references, outdated instructions or unsupported details. The level of checking should match the consequences of using it.

Extract the specific claims you might use, inspect each cited source and its date, verify numbers and quotations in the original, and leave unsupported claims out of your final decision.

Examples to adapt

A quoted statistic

Find the original table and compare population, year and unit.

A software procedure

Check current official instructions for your device and version.

A sensitive decision

Use a qualified human or competent authority when an error could affect rights, health or money.

Follow the method

  1. 1
    Separate the claims

    Mark dates, quantities, quotations and instructions that matter.

  2. 2
    Open the evidence

    Visit the actual cited page; a plausible URL or source title is insufficient.

  3. 3
    Check fit

    Compare the source's scope, date and wording with the answer.

  4. 4
    Record limits

    Keep confirmed parts, label uncertainty and seek expert help for high-stakes use.

A checklist to keep

Use these checks to record what you found. The grid supports a decision; it does not make one for you.

Verify an AI-generated answer: checklist
CheckWhat to examineAction
ClaimWhat exactly would you repeat?Extract
CitationDoes the linked page exist?Open
SupportDoes it prove this wording?Compare
DateIs it applicable now?Check
ConsequenceHow harmful would error be?Escalate

Download the CSV checklist

Free, no sign-up. UTF-8 text with semicolon-separated columns.

What to check

A citation can exist without supporting the adjacent claim.

Repeated AI answers are not independent confirmation.

Do not paste confidential information into a consumer tool without a clear basis.

Common questions

Does a source list make an answer trustworthy?

No. Each source must be opened and matched to the particular claim.

Can AI still help research?

Yes. Treat it as a way to formulate questions and find leads, then verify the result independently.

Sources and documentation

Documentation consulted on . Examples are illustrative; interfaces and results may change.

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