In this article4 sections
Start with the claims that matter
An AI answer can sound polished and still contain an invented fact, an inaccurate quotation or a reference that does not exist. NIST describes this problem as confabulation and notes that even the logic and citations offered in support of an answer can be misleading. Treat the wording as a draft and the factual claims as things to check.
First, identify what you will actually rely on. Underline the date that determines your schedule, the compatibility claim that affects a purchase, or the number going into a presentation. A brainstorming list needs a different level of scrutiny from instructions that change a live business process. Spend your attention where an error would change your decision.
Open the evidence and read the relevant passage
Follow each important citation. Check that the page exists, that the named author or organization published it, and that it supports the specific sentence. A relevant-sounding title is not enough. Read the surrounding paragraph for conditions, exceptions and limitations.
NIST's research on evaluating AI reports separates three useful questions: does the source support the claim, does the summary preserve the source's full meaning, and is the evidence strong enough for the conclusion? You can apply those questions without any special software. A product announcement can establish what a company announced; it cannot, by itself, prove that the product performs better in everyday use.
Check the date, scope and original source
Imagine an answer says a service offers unlimited storage. The cited page might describe a discontinued plan, a temporary promotion or a different country. Look for the publication or update date, plan name, region and eligibility conditions. Search the provider's current documentation when those details matter.
Then leave the original page and cross-check the central claim. Cornell University Library recommends checking information across reputable sources. Look for an independent source where independent confirmation is appropriate, and trace repeated claims back to their origin. Three articles repeating one press release still provide only one underlying account.
Recalculate, inspect and keep a short record
Recalculate important totals in a calculator or spreadsheet. Read the actual passage behind a quotation. For a summary of your own document, compare the output with the relevant pages and check what was omitted. Asking another AI to agree can help surface questions, but agreement alone does not supply evidence.
Before using the answer, write a short note: what was checked, which source supported it, and what remains uncertain. For example: 'Plan limit confirmed on the provider's help page on October 9; availability for our account still needs checking.' This makes the remaining work visible and gives the next person a useful trail. If a decisive claim cannot be verified, remove it, qualify it or pause that decision.
Sources & further reading
This is a source-based explainer, prepared with AI assistance and checked against the references above. It is not a hands-on product test. Read our editorial approach.