∞Direct answer
Direct answer
Before you act on an AI search result, check the source, the date it covers, and the date you checked it. These are not the same date. Keep the exact link and claim. If the date is unclear, mark the point open. NIST says teams should check sources and citations in AI output. [1]
A fresh page may hold an old fact
A web page can load today. Its key fact may be old.
Check four dates. Note when the source was made. Note what time it covers. Note when it changed. Note when you checked it.
A new post can repeat an old number. A recent filing can describe an earlier period. Do not treat the page date as the fact date.
For US public firms, EDGAR shows filings in date order and labels their form type. A 10-K covers a year. A 10-Q covers a quarter. An 8-K can report a material event before the next regular report. [2]
- Made date: when the record was issued or filed.
- As-of date: when the fact was true or measured.
- Updated date: when the source page last changed.
- Check date: when your team opened it.
- Decision date: when you may use the point.
Make a small freshness card
Use one card for each fact that could change the review. Keep a card for a claim about a customer, cash, shares, or a key person.
Save the exact words. Save the source link and place. Do not save only an AI summary.
Set a status. Use current if you checked the needed date. Use old if the source is sound but dated. Use open if the date or scope is unclear.
Companies House gives public company data, with filing dates. It says its search data is an extract. It can be wrong at times. [3]
- Claim: one short fact, not a broad opinion.
- Entity: the exact company or group.
- Source: link, file, page, or cell.
- Dates: made, as-of, updated, and checked.
- Status: current, historic, open, or replaced.
- Next step: use, ask, refresh, or raise.
Search for the date that answers the question
Start with the question. Then set the date you need. A funding round may need a recent close date. Revenue may need a stated period. Ownership may need the last legal record.
Search the exact company name and claim. Prefer the first record for that claim. Then look for a newer record that could replace it.
Use a date filter when the source offers one. The SEC's EDGAR search lets users set a filed date range and choose filing types. [2]
Do not call a source stale just because it is old. An old signed deal may prove an old event. It may not prove what is true now.
- Ask: what fact needs a date check?
- Set: what date or period would answer it?
- Find: the first record and any later record.
- Compare: entity, period, meaning, and source type.
- Decide: current enough, historic only, or open.
Use AI to sort dates, not to clear risk
Give AI a small source set. State the claim and the cut-off date. Ask it to list each source date, as-of date, and exact words.
Ask it to show a missing date. Do not ask it to decide that a fact is current. Open the source yourself.
Save the prompt, source set, reply, and human check. NIST warns that generative AI can make false content and false citations. [1]
ESMA sets rules for some investment firms. It says AI input data should fit the task. It asks firms to check it before use. It also asks for later checks. [4]
- Input: approved links or files only.
- Prompt: claim, entity, needed date, and cut-off.
- Output: quotes, dates, gaps, and source places.
- Human check: open the source and record the result.
- Limit: do not turn an AI date list into proof.
Refresh before the next decision step
Refresh a fact when it can change the next action. This is common for cash, ownership, key deals, live customers, team roles, and round terms.
Set a review date. Do not use one fixed age rule for every fact. The right limit depends on the claim and decision.
If a newer source changes the fact, keep both records. Write what changed and why it matters. Do not overwrite the old record.
A checked source does not make a company a fit. It only helps trace one fact.
- Refresh trigger: a new meeting, memo, term sheet, or approval.
- Owner: the person who opens the newer source.
- Outcome: same, changed, unclear, or not available.
- Record: old link, new link, date, and short reason.
- Raise: any change that could affect the review.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does a fresh source mean?
It means checking whether a source fits the time question. A page can be recent while its claim is old. Record the source date, as-of date, update date, and your check date.
Does a newer source always beat an older source?
No. The right source depends on the claim. An older signed record may prove an old event. A newer page may show the state now. Keep the time purpose clear.
Can AI check source freshness for me?
AI can sort dates and show gaps. It can also make up a date or citation. NIST says teams should check sources and citations in AI outputs. Open the source before you use the claim. [1]
How new must a company record be?
It depends on the fact and the choice. Companies House shows filing dates and updates. Its public search is an extract. It can be wrong at times. Check the record. Seek other proof when the point matters. [3]
REF
Sources
- 1
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework: Generative Artificial Intelligence Profile ↗ - 2
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Investor.gov
Using EDGAR to Research Investments ↗ - 3
Companies House, GOV.UK
Searching the Companies House register ↗ - 4
European Securities and Markets Authority
Public Statement on Artificial Intelligence and Investment Services ↗