1. Check the specific details
Mistakes hide in names, numbers, dates, article numbers and quotes. Those are exactly the things to verify at an official source: the law itself, the company register, the institution’s website.
2. Open every source
If AI gives a link or a reference, open it and find the sentence it relies on. Sources that don’t exist or don’t say what the AI claims are a classic sign of a hallucination.
3. Ask for uncertainty
Ask: “Which parts of your answer are you least sure about, and how could I check them?” Good assistants will point out their weak spots.
4. Read laterally
Don’t judge a claim only by how it is written. Open two or three independent sources in new tabs — fact-checkers do exactly this.
5. The higher the stakes, the more checking
- Health, money, law and safety: always confirm with a professional or an official source.
- Anything you publish or send to a customer: check every fact.
- Private brainstorming: lighter checking is fine.