1 minute readReference note
Why can an AI answer be wrong even when its cited source is correct?
In brief
An answer misinterprets a correctly cited source when it misreads a qualification, combines facts from different sources incorrectly, assigns a claim to the wrong entity, or draws a conclusion outside the cited page's findings. Read the referenced material and compare its actual meaning with the claim beside it.
A source assessment checks each claim against the page, dates, definitions and relevant limitations. For a document about a proceeding, distinguish the record of its existence from findings on the allegation and records of its current status.
The response depends on the discrepancy. Genuine ambiguity in a company page can be clarified, while an accurate source should retain the correct facts. Platform feedback can identify an unsupported generated statement where an appropriate route exists. Later tests should examine both the disputed claim and its supporting citations. Correct source support on one sentence does not validate every claim in the response, and an answer without an obvious source error can still contain a serious interpretation failure.