Ask AI for Sources Carefully
Works with ChatGPT · Claude · Copilot · Gemini
You can use AI sources as leads while verifying them yourself.
The problem
AI can invent or misremember sources that look real but are not.
What this skill does
You can ask the AI for sources to look into, but treat them as leads, not proof. It may invent titles, links, or details. Always search for the source yourself to confirm it exists and says what was claimed.
When to use it
- Use this when you want references for a claim or topic.
Juni’s tip
Juni says: AI can invent sources that look real. Always check they exist before you trust them.
The prompt
Try it live
Fill in the blanks — your ready-to-use prompt builds as you type.
Weak vs. better
give me sources
Suggest sources I could look up to learn more about safe home composting, and tell me what each one is. I will verify them myself.
Why this works
Treating AI sources as leads to verify protects you from references that look real but were invented.
Practice task
Ask the AI for sources on a topic, then search to confirm one actually exists.
Self-check
- I treated the sources as leads, not proof.
- I searched to confirm at least one actually exists.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Citing an AI source without checking it is real and says what was claimed.
- Assuming a link or title is genuine just because it looks formatted correctly.
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