Check an AI draft before using it
QUICK REFERENCE
Treat an AI response as a draft you need to inspect. Check the facts, the promises it makes and whether it actually answers your task. A fluent sentence is easy to read, but its tone does not establish that a date, citation or claim is supported.
When to use this
Use this before sending a message, relying on a plan or publishing a piece prepared with AI. For decisions requiring professional judgment, use appropriate qualified review rather than treating this checklist as sufficient.
Know these three terms
Supported claim
A statement that matches evidence you have checked.
Assumption
A detail supplied to bridge a gap; it should be identified and reviewed.
Commitment
A promise about an action, date or responsibility that must be yours to make.
A practical way to do it
Compare the draft with your input
Check names, dates, quantities and constraints against the facts you supplied. Look for changed conditions, missing limitations and responsibilities the draft assigned without agreement.
Inspect claims that came from elsewhere
Open the original source for an external claim or citation. Check that the source exists and supports the specific statement. If you cannot verify it, remove, qualify or leave the claim unresolved rather than polishing it further.
Check the intended action
Ask whether the reader can do what the draft invites them to do. Verify real links and attachments. For a plan, check the time and dependencies; for a message, check the requested next step and promises before sending.
At a glance
| Draft detail | Question to ask | Useful correction |
|---|---|---|
| A delivery date | Did I confirm that date? | Use the actual date or mark it unconfirmed. |
| A source reference | Did I open it and find support? | Correct or remove unsupported attribution. |
| A confident result | Does the evidence establish this? | Narrow the claim to what is known. |
A small example
Fictional example: an AI-written event update says the venue is booked, although the input only says an enquiry was sent. The reviewer changes it to “availability requested” and asks for confirmation before inviting attendees. The important improvement is the corrected state, not a warmer tone.
Copy this working template
Use the fields directly in your own notes. AI is optional; check any AI-prepared version against your facts.
Purpose of this draft:
Facts checked against my input:
New claims and their verified sources:
Assumptions still open:
Dates, owners and promises checked:
Links / attachments checked:
Edits made before use:
Anything requiring further review:Check before moving on
- Important factual details match checked evidence.
- Missing information is visible rather than confidently filled in.
- The draft makes only commitments you can actually authorise.
- The final version is appropriate for its reader and task.
Common questions
Can another AI verify the first one?
It can help identify questions or compare wording, but agreement between two responses is not a substitute for checking the underlying evidence. Use the original source for important claims.
What if the answer includes no sources?
Identify which statements need evidence and request or locate sources you can inspect. If the task requires reliable external facts and you cannot check them, leave those claims out or postpone relying on the draft.
Continue with your task
Browse the other quick references below.
