Did the AI Actually Do What You Asked?

Agents will sometimes say 'done!' when they actually did something else, partially did it, or failed quietly. Always check what actually happened.

Some examples

• Agent says it sent the email — check your sent folder to confirm.
• Agent says it set the timer — make sure the timer is actually running.
• Agent says it organized your folder — open the folder to verify.
• Agent says it made the playlist — listen to it to check the songs.

Try it!

Pick something an AI agent has done for you. Verify it actually did the thing right. Notice how confidence builds with practice.

Practice this safely

Try this with a low-stakes example and a trusted adult nearby. The goal is to notice how AI talks about verification, not to let it make the decision for you.

1. 1Ask AI to explain verification in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
2. 2Give it one detail from "Did the AI Actually Do What You Asked?" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
3. 3Check checking results against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.