How to Fact-Check AI Answers for Work in Sri Lanka

Fact-checking an AI answer starts by breaking it into claims you can verify. For Sri Lankan job seekers and workplace teams, the important questions are often simple: is the vacancy current, does the source support the number, and will the suggested calculation actually work?

A confident tone is not evidence. Build a short checking routine before using an answer in an application, report or business decision.

Identify the claim type

Different claims need different checks. A general search result cannot validate a private employer's offer, and a working formula cannot establish that the input data is correct.

Open the original source

Follow the citation and read the relevant passage. Check the publisher, publication date and scope.

Google's reliable-results guidance explains that searches may have limited reliable information and suggests adjusting or revisiting the search. A lack of evidence should remain a gap rather than become a guessed answer.

Look for sources that report the fact directly. A repeated claim across several copied pages is not necessarily independent confirmation.

Use a claim log

For a fictional job-search brief, record: “Role accepts applicants in Sri Lanka,” the source URL, the wording that supports it and the date checked.

If the source only says “remote,” mark the country eligibility as unconfirmed. Do not promote an inference into a fact.

Use simple labels such as Verified, Needs clarification and Unsupported. Keep the explanation beside the label so another reviewer understands the judgement.

Check calculations and examples independently

Recalculate important numbers using a calculator or a small test dataset. Check units, currency, dates and whether the figures are monthly or annual.

For a fictional percentage calculation, three responses from twelve applications is 25%. That arithmetic does not establish a prediction about future applications.

If a formula or script is involved, test normal, empty and invalid inputs. A successful run with one example is evidence about that example, not proof of universal correctness.

Revise the final answer

Remove unsupported claims, add the necessary date or limitation and distinguish interpretation from source material.

For example, “This qualification is accepted by all employers” is much broader than a course provider's statement that it offers the qualification. Replace the broad claim with what the evidence actually establishes.

Keep the final explanation readable. Verification should improve the decision, not bury it under a long list of unrelated links.

Is an answer reliable when it has citations?

Citations are useful only when they lead to relevant sources that support the specific claims. Check them.

Can two AI tools verify each other?

Agreement between tools is not independent evidence. Both may repeat the same unsupported information.

What if a source is unavailable?

Look for another authoritative source or mark the claim as unverified. Do not claim you checked a page you could not access.

Should every sentence be researched?

Prioritise factual claims that affect the decision, especially current rules, numbers and product behaviour. Clearly labelled original examples and opinions serve a different purpose.

What is the final test?

Ask whether another reader could follow the evidence and understand both the conclusion and its limits.

Related guides

• Using AI at Work: A Data Privacy Checklist for Sri Lanka
• Google AI Studio: First Prototype Guide for Sri Lanka
• Google AI Mode for Job Research: A Sri Lanka Workflow

Browse the Sri Lanka work and technology guides for more practical application, AI and workplace projects.