Artificial intelligence can answer questions in seconds. But don’t stop there. One of the most important AI skills is verifying what it tells you. That’s one of several takeaways from the Education & AI Innovation Consortium presented by Boys Town and the Mark Cuban Foundation this fall.
Hosting the consortium was a natural fit for Boys Town, which has cared for children and families since 1917. Today, that care ranges from family-style residential homes and in-home family services to the 24/7 Boys Town National Hotline and Boys Town National Research Hospital. For more than 45 years, Boys Town has also shared the research-based Boys Town Education Model® with schools across the country.
All of that work rests on a simple belief: the skills behind good decisions can be taught and practiced. AI is now part of the world children are growing up in, and knowing when to question it is one of those skills.
Here are some practical strategies shared by Charlotte Dungan, Chief Learning Officer at the Mark Cuban Foundation.
Ask AI to Critique Its Own Answer
You can ask AI to evaluate its own work. Try these follow-up questions to reveal uncertainty, missing information and areas that deserve additional fact checking:
- How confident are you in your response?
- What parts of this answer should I verify?
- What evidence supports this claim?
- What are the limitations in your answer?
Have AI Check AI
You don’t have to limit yourself to one AI engine. Try comparing answers across different AI platforms. You can even ask one AI engine to check the work of another. They may identify gaps, questionable assumptions or overlooked perspectives.
“If you’ve got an answer from Claude, you can put it in Gemini and say, ‘Claude told me this. What do you think?’” Dungan said.
Read Laterally, Not Just Vertically
When you get a result to your AI query, resist the urge to read deeply into one source. Open a few tabs and search a few reputable sources. Comparing information can help identify inaccuracies, missing context and potential bias.
This research-backed technique was developed to evaluate online information, not just AI responses. “Don’t go deep, go wide and use three high-quality sources,” said Dungan.
Teach Verification Like Any Other Skill
At Boys Town, young people learn the skills behind good decisions, such as following instructions, accepting criticism and solving problems, one clear step at a time. Adults explain each skill, model it and give young people plenty of chances to practice, with praise along the way.
Verification can be taught the same way:
- Name it. Explain to students that checking an AI answer is part of using AI well.
- Model it. Think out loud as you ask AI to critique its answer or compare it against other sources.
- Practice it. Build quick verification checks into assignments that use AI.
- Praise it. Recognize students when they catch an error or question a claim.
Know What Your AI Is Built On
Verification applies to the AI tools schools choose, too. An AI tool is only as sound as the knowledge behind it. Boys Town built Reality Coach, an AI-powered practice tool for educators, and AnswersNOW, an on-demand chat tool for responding to student behavior, on the Boys Town Education Model. That way, the feedback educators receive draws on more than a century of experience caring for children and aligns with research-based strategies already used in classrooms across the country.
Before adopting any AI tool, ask what research it is built on, whether educators can see why it made a recommendation and where human review happens.
Use Your Own Engine
As AI technology rapidly evolves, the skills needed to evaluate it are more important than ever. Dungan emphasized that technology should support human thought, not replace it.
“You’re always going to be the judgment maker. You’re always going to edit, review and reflect on what you create,” she said.
Verification, critical thinking and thoughtful decision-making remain essential skills in an AI-powered world. Like every skill Boys Town teaches, they grow stronger with practice.
