QualityVerified 17 days ago
Prefer Cite-or-Abstain Over Confident Guessing
For research and marketing claims, force agents to cite sources or abstain. Confidence without evidence is a liability.
The principle
If the agent cannot point to a source or a measured result, it should say "unknown" rather than invent a precise number.
Why it matters
Fabricated benchmarks and fake case studies destroy trust faster than slow content. Research brands especially cannot afford confident fiction.
How to apply it
- Put cite-or-abstain in the system prompt and the skill checklist.
- Require links or artifact paths for quantitative claims.
- Reject drafts that use unsourced "studies show" language.
- Prefer ranges and "as of DATE" over fake precision.
Red flags
- Exact percentages with no citation
- Invented customer quotes
Quick win
Add one checklist item: every number has a source URL or internal log path.
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