Before You Share an AI Answer: A Practical Fact-Checking Guide

An AI answer can sound confident and still contain a wrong date, an invented source or a claim that applies in another country. Before forwarding it to a group or turning it into a blog post, spend a few minutes checking the parts that matter.

Google's Gemini guidance explicitly reminds users that its answers can contain mistakes. The practical response is to treat an answer as a starting point for research.

Start with the claim that changes a decision

Underline anything that could make someone apply, pay, travel, download software or miss a deadline. These claims deserve attention before you polish the writing. A well-written introduction cannot rescue an incorrect application closing date.

For example, if an answer says a recruitment portal is open, check the recruiting organisation's own announcement. Confirm the role, eligibility, application address and closing date. A screenshot circulating in a group is a lead, not confirmation.

Open the source and read the relevant passage

Ask the AI for sources, then open them yourself. Check that each page exists and actually supports the sentence beside it. A link to an organisation's homepage does not prove a specific announcement.

• Date: Is the information current, and does the event date differ from the publication date?
• Place: Does it apply in Nigeria or in a different market?
• Scope: Is it available to everyone or only selected users?
• Numbers: Do the currency, units and totals match the source?

Use a verification prompt

Review the answer below. List the factual claims that need checking, the best primary source for each, and anything you cannot verify. Do not invent links or fill missing facts. Separate evidence from assumptions: [paste the answer].

This prompt organises your work; it does not make the output independently verified. Check the resulting list against real sources.

Publish only what you can support

If a claim remains uncertain, remove it or clearly explain the uncertainty. Keep a short record of the source and the date you checked it. When a correction is needed later, that record makes the update easier.

Official reference: Google's guidance on using Gemini Apps responsibly.