Judgment in the Age of AI · Article 4
Some answers were once correct and have since expired. Software interfaces change, laws commence, prices move, competitions alter rules and office-holders change. Outdated information is harder to spot than invention because genuine historical evidence may still support it.
Give the question a time-sensitivity rating
| Level | What to check |
|---|---|
| Low | Stable facts such as mathematical definitions or dates of classic works; sources still matter, but daily monitoring does not. |
| Medium | Software features, product specifications and institutional policies; check version numbers and update dates. |
| High | Law, prices, exchange rates, medical guidance, elections, schedules and breaking news; use current official sources. |
Build a minimal timeline
Record four dates: when the AI answer was produced, when the source was published, when the source was last updated, and when the rule or product change actually took effect. Many mistakes come from treating announcement as commencement or access date as revision date.
A version is more useful than “latest”
Do not ask only whether information is current. Ask which country, product version, subscription tier and effective date it applies to. Without those coordinates, treat the answer as background rather than operating instruction.
- Search official pages for “updated”, “effective”, “version” or “last reviewed”
- Compare change logs, publication dates and commencement dates
- Record your verification date so the answer can be checked again later
References
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