Research and compare options with AI, and verify the facts yourself

Quick answer

Use AI to set out the options, criteria and open questions for a decision, ask it to list the claims you must verify, then check each one on the original or official source yourself.

  • For: Experienced workers adapting to AI, Freelancers and independent providers, Retailers and walk-in businesses, Small business owners and solopreneurs
  • Level: Explorer
  • Estimated setup time: 30 to 60 minutes, plus the time to verify (an estimate; yours may differ)

This playbook has no recent review date. Check tool details on the official sites before you rely on it.

The problem

Comparing suppliers, tools or approaches takes hours, and it is easy to decide on incomplete or wrong information.

Before you start

  • One decision you need to make
  • A short list of options
  • The three criteria that matter most to you (for example cost, quality, time, risk)

Tools you can use

  • A general-purpose AI assistant for structure and questions
  • The official websites or documents of each option for verification
  • Alternative: a spreadsheet with options in rows and criteria in columns

Step by step

AI is good at organising a decision and poor at being a trusted source of facts. This playbook uses it for structure and questions, and keeps verification with you.

Step 1: State the decision

Write one sentence describing the decision, the options you are considering, and the three criteria that matter most.

Step 2: Ask for a comparison and a verification list

Comparison prompt
I need to decide [decision]. Options: [list]. Criteria that matter to me: [cost, quality, time, risk]. Create a comparison table, list what you are unsure about, and tell me which claims I must verify from official sources. Do not invent facts or sources.

Step 3: Verify the claims that matter

Open the official website, documentation or original document for each option and check the claims on the list yourself: prices, features, limits, terms. Prices and features change, so note the date you checked.

Step 4: Update the table

Correct the table with what you verified. Mark anything you could not confirm as unverified.

Step 5: Decide and record why

Make the decision yourself and write down the reasons. Review how many AI statements failed verification. If many did, use AI for structure only next time.

What good looks like

  • Every key fact in your final table links to an official or original source you opened yourself
  • Claims you could not verify are marked as unverified
  • The decision is yours, with reasons you can explain

Common mistakes

  • Treating the AI comparison as fact
  • Letting it invent sources or figures
  • Skipping verification of price, availability or legal and safety points
  • Comparing too many options at once

Privacy and human review

Keep private business data out of prompts. For consequential decisions (legal, financial, health, safety), check with a qualified person.