What Is Grounding in AI? A Visual Guide
A visual guide to grounding: tie an AI reply to numbered facts so every claim can be checked, shown in a real tax firm reply lesson.
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The guide in text
Grounding: Tying an AI answer to specific, trusted information, like facts you provide, so it states what the source supports instead of what merely sounds right.
Every claim points to a fact
Northgate Tax & Bookkeeping (made up) can't promise a refund date. The first draft did anyway, and the check table caught it.
Make it checkable
- Number your facts so each claim can be traced to one.
- Include what you can't promise as facts too, like "We can't promise a refund date."
- Ask for a claim-by-claim check table before you send anything important.
The full definition: What is grounding in AI? in the AI glossary, with an example from a free lesson, common confusions and tips.
Businesses and people in the examples are made up. The steps, screens and wording come from the free lesson and the Stepthrough glossary and prompt library.
Do it yourself, free
Reply Faster to Clients Chasing Their Refund: ChatGPT for Tax and Bookkeeping Firms. A client wants a refund date while two tax forms are still missing. Give ChatGPT the thread and your firm's facts, catch the date it shouldn't promise, and send a calm, clear reply from Gmail. You do every step yourself in a practice copy of ChatGPT, it checks your work as you go, and “Do it for me” finishes any step you get stuck on. Free, and nothing touches your real accounts.
Start the free lessonRelated terms
Plain-English definitions, each with an example from a free lesson.
Related prompts
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- Email to task list prompt: Turn a long email thread into a to-do list: every request, promise and unanswered question, who asked and when, what is overdue…
- Estimated tax payment reminder prompt: Remind a client about an upcoming estimated tax payment using your firm's numbers: amount, due date, how they pay, and who to…
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