My mantra with AI when used for desk research is Distrust And Verify.
AI is a helpful assistant rather than a replacement for human judgement and expertise. It is not a shortcut to answers, nor should it be treated as a search engine - even the best AI tools are prone to hallucination and inaccuracy. I regularly test such products, ensuring their suitability for research and administrative tasks.
For example:
AI helps me create complex search strings (especially where Boolean-style searching is required by databases) that surface relevant and credible sources more efficiently, ensuring thorough and focused research.
AI helps proofread and polish written material, maintaining clarity and precision in the final outputs.
AI is not used to generate content from raw data. I rely on my own analysis and critical thinking to interpret information, with AI serving as a supplementary tool where appropriate.
Even so, experience has taught me distrust AI. Every task where AI is used is checked and verified. Often, “old school” methods still come out on top.
I ensure that all research remains rigorous, human-led and tailored to your specific needs.
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