Judgment and safety
How do I keep human judgment when using AI?
Decide what good looks like before the model produces something persuasive.
Short answerSet the purpose and quality bar yourself. Give AI only information you are permitted to share. Check factual claims against reliable sources, inspect tone and omissions, and remain willing to reject the whole draft.
Use a review loop
- Define the decision, audience, constraints, and standard.
- Ask AI for a draft, comparison, or set of questions.
- Check claims using the original source or an authoritative source.
- Review who could be affected and what the draft leaves out.
- Edit in your own voice and take responsibility for the result.
Watch for false confidence
Fluent language is not evidence. Treat dates, names, figures, quotations, and cited authorities as unverified until you check them.
Keep a stopping rule
Stop using the model if the task contains information you cannot share, the answer cannot be checked, the consequence of error is serious, or a qualified professional is required.