AI-generated drafts can sound certain even when details are incomplete, outdated, or invented. Fact-checking is therefore part of writing, not an optional polish step.
Separate claims from style
Read the draft once only to mark factual statements: names, dates, statistics, definitions, quotations, legal or financial rules, product capabilities, and cause-and-effect claims. Opinions and transitions need editing too, but factual claims deserve source-level verification.
Trace important claims to primary sources
Prefer official documentation, laws and regulators, original research, company policies, and direct records. A second article repeating the same claim is not independent confirmation. Open the source and make sure it actually supports the wording.
Check freshness and jurisdiction
Software features, platform rules, affiliate requirements, tax guidance, prices, and laws change. Record the publication or update date and identify the relevant country, state, platform, or product version. When accuracy matters and the information may change, say when it was checked.
Verify numbers in context
Check the population, time period, units, sample size, and comparison point. A percentage can be mathematically correct but misleading when the base is small. Recalculate simple figures and link to the underlying table when possible.
Handle quotations and examples carefully
Search the original source for the exact words and keep quotes short. Do not let AI create testimonials, case studies, or personal experience. Clearly label hypothetical examples.
Use a publish checklist
- Every consequential claim has a reliable source.
- Links open and support the nearby sentence.
- Dates, names, units, and spellings match the source.
- Uncertainty and exceptions remain visible.
- No fabricated experience, credentials, or results appear.
See Our Mission and Perspective on Artificial Intelligence for the site’s approach to responsible use. For truthful attention-grabbing language, read What Makes a Good Hook?
Fit these checks into a practical AI content workflow so review happens before publication.
Browse the free creator resource library for related articles and video lessons, and choose one step to try next.
Final takeaway
A polished sentence is not evidence. Slow down at important claims, use original sources, preserve context, and keep a record of what you verified.
