Verification is a skill, not a mood. A short routine for sources, numbers, dates and quotes catches most errors in minutes, and the Bengaluru tribunal case shows the cost of skipping it.
What to verify, and how deeply
You can't check every word of every AI answer. You can check the facts that your decision, document or reputation depends on, to a depth that matches the stakes.
| Stakes | Examples | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Internal brainstorm, your own learning | Spot-check anything surprising |
| Medium | Internal report, client email, sales material | Every number, name and date; key sources opened |
| High | Board paper, legal or tax document, public statement, court filing | Every fact to a primary source; a qualified person reviews |
Sources: does it exist and say that?
Two questions for every source: does it exist, and does it actually say what AI claims? Many AI errors pass the first test and fail the second.
- Find it independently. Search the title and publisher yourself, rather than only clicking AI's link.
- Check it's the original. A government report, a court's site, a company filing, not a blog about it.
- Find the sentence. Search inside the document for the figure or claim.
- Check context. Is it about the same place, period and definition?
- Note the date. Is it the latest version?
| Result | What to do |
|---|---|
| Exists and says it | Use it, with the source and date |
| Exists, says something different | Correct the fact, or drop it |
| Exists, doesn't mention it | Treat as unsupported; drop or find another source |
| Can't be found | Treat as invented; never use it |
Numbers: recompute and compare
Numbers fail in several ways: invented, out of date, wrong unit, wrong base, or miscalculated. Each has a quick check.
| Check | Catches |
|---|---|
| Find the number in the source | Invented or misread numbers |
| Check unit and scale (₹ lakh, crore, million; %, points) | Unit errors |
| Check the base and definition | “Share of farmers” vs “share of land” |
| Recompute any calculation yourself | Arithmetic slips (Book 7) |
| Compare with a second source | Outliers and outdated figures |
| Common sense: is it plausible? | Orders-of-magnitude errors |
Dates and versions
Rules, prices, leaders, schemes and statistics change. AI often presents old facts without dates. Every fact that can change needs a date.
| Fact type | Ask |
|---|---|
| Laws, rules and schemes | Which version? Has it been amended? Is there a later circular? |
| Rates, prices, subsidies | As of when? Has it changed since? |
| Company facts | Which financial year? Who leads it now? |
| Statistics | Which year's data? Is there newer data? |
| Events | Exact date? Has the story developed since? |
Quotes: exact words or paraphrase?
AI often produces quotes in quotation marks that are paraphrases, or invents quotes that sound like the person. Putting false words in someone's mouth, especially a public figure, a regulator or a client, can do real harm.
- Find the original: the interview, speech, filing or press release.
- Compare word for word. If it differs, it's a paraphrase: remove the quotation marks or use the real words.
- Check the context. Was the person talking about the same thing?
- Check the date and speaker. The right person, at the right time, in the right role.
Questions from the worksheet: The source check list
For each important fact: does the source exist, does it say this, is it current, and is the number right?
What to remember
- Verify what your conclusion rests on, to a depth that matches the stakes.
- Sources: exists and says it; numbers: unit, base, recompute; dates: current version; quotes: exact words.
- The 2024 Bengaluru tribunal order shows that unchecked citations can undo even a judicial order.
- Verification
- Confirming a fact against a reliable, primary source.
- Paraphrase
- Someone's meaning in other words; never in quotation marks.
- Recall (of an order)
- A tribunal or court withdrawing its own order for errors.
This article is adapted from the book. Examples marked “Example” use invented names and numbers; company stories are based on public sources listed in the book. For general learning; use your own judgement for your situation.
