Why AI makes things up
Language models generate likely-sounding text. Most of the time likely and true overlap, but for specific numbers, dates, quotes, legal details and citations they can produce confident fiction.
The two-minute routine
- 1Highlight every specific claim: numbers, names, dates, quotes, laws.
- 2Ask the AI: "Which of these claims are you least certain about?" It's surprisingly good at flagging its weak spots.
- 3Open the sources for anything you'll publish or act on. Check that the page exists and says what's claimed.
- 4For anything recent, use a search-connected tool or check the official source directly.
Tip: Ask for answers grounded in documents you provide, with quotes. A quote is much easier to verify than a paraphrase.