Important claims need a path back to evidence. Ask the system to distinguish among:
- facts supported by an approved source,
- inferences drawn from those facts,
- recommendations based on a stated goal,
- unknowns that require more information.
A practical evidence contract
For consequential work, define:
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Allowed sources | Current policy library only |
| Citation | Document title and section |
| Conflict handling | Show both sources and stop |
| Missing evidence | Mark unknown, do not fill the gap |
| Freshness | Reject documents past their review date |
Uncertainty should change the workflow. If the answer cannot be supported, the system should ask, abstain or escalate rather than hide the gap in polished language.