From The Conversation · Leo S. Lo · · 1m 50s
Four types of AI answers and how to check them
AI gives you different kinds of answers. Learning to spot which type helps you know what to verify.
In brief
AI gives you different kinds of answers. Learning to spot which type helps you know what to verify. Before asking if an AI answer is right, ask what kind of answer it is. That tells you what to check next. Originally reported by The Conversation.
Google now answers your questions
Instead of links, Google's AI now gives direct answers to search queries. But these answers come in different types, each requiring different ways to check them.
Factual answers need source checks
Factual answers make claims you can verify against evidence. When was the University of Virginia founded? What is the chemical symbol for gold? Check these against reliable sources.
“A factual claim can often be checked against a source.”
Interpretive answers involve judgment calls
Questions like how much screen time is too much for teenagers don't have one right answer. The AI's response depends on what evidence it includes, what it leaves out, and how it weighs disagreements.
“An interpretation can be accurate and still reflect choices about which evidence matters.”
Constructive answers are made, not found
When you ask AI to draft a cover letter, write a eulogy, or suggest a lesson plan, there is no single correct answer. Judge these by whether they fit your purpose, audience, and voice.
“A eulogy can be grammatically perfect and still sound nothing like the person delivering it.”
Strategic answers need personal context
Questions like should I take daily aspirin combine information with judgment about your goals, risks, and circumstances. Ask what the system would need to know about you before its advice could apply.
“The final judgment remains yours because you are the person who has to live with the outcome.”
One answer can be multiple types
A single AI response can shift between answer types without changing its tone. Reporting what a medical guideline says is different from deciding how it applies to you personally.
“A fluent response can move between those types of answers without a noticeable change in voice.”
Ask what kind of answer first
Before checking if an AI answer is right, identify what type it is. That tells you what to verify next and what kind of judgment you need to make.
“Before asking whether an AI answer is right, ask a more basic question: What kind of answer is this?”
The big picture
Before asking if an AI answer is right, ask what kind of answer it is. That tells you what to check next.
