How to check an AI answer before you act on it

An AI answer can sound complete while containing a wrong date, an invented citation or a correct rule applied to the wrong place. The solution is a repeatable check, especially before you spend money, share a claim or change a plan. OpenAI's accuracy guidance explicitly recommends verifying quotes, data, technical details and references.

1. Turn the answer into checkable claims

Underline statements that would change your decision: a price, deadline, legal rule, product specification, health claim or numeric result. “This looks good” is an opinion; “the renewal date is Friday” is a claim you can verify. Check the claims with the highest consequence first.

2. Open the original source

Ask the model for a source link, then open it. Does the page exist? Does it actually say what the answer claims? Is it the original regulator, vendor, research paper or product documentation, or just another summary? A plausible title is not evidence. If the source is a PDF, locate the cited page or passage.

3. Check date and place

Some answers are true in one country or one software version and wrong in another. Check when the source was updated and whether it covers your location, account type and current product version. For news, confirm both the publication date and the date the event happened. If you cannot find a current primary source, mark the claim unresolved rather than guessing.

4. Recalculate the numbers

Redo any simple arithmetic yourself: percentages, dimensions, totals and calendar intervals. For a complex estimate, ask what assumptions produced it and test a second method. An impressive-looking table can still start from a false input.

5. Decide what needs a human expert

When the answer could affect finances, health, legal rights or safety, use it to prepare questions for a qualified person or an authoritative service. Do not treat a polished response as a personal assessment. Share the verified source and your remaining uncertainty when you pass the answer on.

You can use the same routine after asking AI for a weekly plan. If the plan includes a purchase, compare any claimed file formats or license terms with the actual product page and our digital download checklist.