AI Likes To Bullshit You: A Checklist Can Save You
I’ve been using AI tools pretty heavily while working on the Bougie Apocalypse series. The research speed is ridiculous. What used to take me an entire day (or more) now takes an hour or two.
But I also know AI loves to bullshit.
So I built a simple validation checklist I run every time I do serious research for the books. I figured I’d share it, especially since the AI panic is now in full swing and this may be helpful to others.
My AI Research Validation Checklist
Never Trust a Single Model Always cross-check at least two different AIs (I use Grok + Gemini). If they disagree, keep digging.
Demand Sources Make them cite specific sources. Then actually check them.
Check Recency Ask about knowledge cutoffs and real-time access, then verify.
Look for Specificity Good research has concrete details. Vague answers are a warning sign.
Test for Consistency Ask the same question multiple ways. Shifting answers = red flag.
Human Sanity Check Does this actually make sense based on what I already know?
Spot-Check Primary Sources Go to the original records when possible.
Document Everything Keep brief notes on what you asked and what was verified.
Bottom Line
AI is an incredible research assistant for fiction writers. It is a terrible final authority.
The writers who will benefit most aren’t the ones who let the machine write their books. They’re the ones who use it to do the grunt work and then apply real human judgment, taste, and verification.
I can research locations, historical details, technical specs, and background material in a fraction of the time it used to take. But only because I treat the output as raw material, not gospel.
What about you? Are you using AI tools in your writing process yet? If so, how are you keeping the machine honest?
#BougieApocalypse #OnWriting
AI is like an annoying child!
Artificially intelligent. Genuinely stupid. Or maybe just lazy and dishonest. Probably a bit of all 3.