Verification

Verification is the process of checking whether a claim, output, action, identity, or result is adequately supported for its intended use.

Plan for this page

Understand one concept in plain language and connect it to nearby ideas.

You will leave with: The method depends on the claim: inspect a primary record, reproduce a calculation, compare independent sources, test a system, contact a known person, or obtain qualified review. Verification should preserve uncertainty when evidence is incomplete.
Time: 3–8 min
Before you begin: No prerequisite. Keep one real example in mind.
Do this now: Read the explanation, then compare the example with the common misunderstanding.

Prepared next stepBuild a claim-verification workflow

VerificationVerification is the process of checking whether a claim, output, action, identity, or result is adequately supported for its intended use.

Hallucination
Primary source
Evidence status

Plain explanation

The method depends on the claim: inspect a primary record, reproduce a calculation, compare independent sources, test a system, contact a known person, or obtain qualified review. Verification should preserve uncertainty when evidence is incomplete.

Example

Before relying on an AI-cited regulation, a user opens the current official text, checks jurisdiction and date, and confirms that the quoted section supports the claim.

Why it matters

Generated confidence and citations are not evidence by themselves. Matching effort to stakes prevents both careless reliance and wasteful checking of every low-consequence detail.

Common misunderstanding

Misconception: asking the same model “are you sure?” verifies its answer. Correction: meaningful verification introduces independent evidence or a method capable of detecting the error.

Related concepts

Follow relationships, not only the alphabet

HallucinationA hallucination is generated content that is unsupported, inaccurate, or invented while often remaining fluent and plausible.Primary sourceA primary source is original evidence or a first-hand record produced by the people, instrument, institution, or process directly involved.Evidence statusEvidence status is a visible label describing how strongly and consistently current sources support a particular claim.

Build a claim-verification workflow

Sources and scope

What supports this object

Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework: Generative Artificial Intelligence ProfileU.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology

Supports evaluation, source, monitoring and risk controls for generated output; verification methods must match claim type and consequence.

Open source

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