Check an AI-written reply for promises you did not approve

Start with the message you are answering

Read the incoming email and any relevant earlier messages before judging the generated reply. Identify what the sender actually asked for, what they proposed, and what—if anything—you already agreed to. A draft may turn a tentative question into an apparent acceptance, or treat someone else’s suggestion as a settled fact.

Make a quick note of the facts the reply needs to address. For example: the requested delivery date, the quoted scope, and whether the sender asked for a price or merely a meeting. If you cannot point to a source for a claim in the draft, treat it as unconfirmed.

Scan for commitment words and specific details

Look for words such as “will,” “confirm,” “guarantee,” “included,” and “by.” These can turn friendly language into an obligation. Then scan for specific dates, amounts, quantities, durations, and conditions. A confident sentence is not evidence that its details are correct.

Check each item against something you can rely on, such as the original correspondence, an approved quote, or a schedule you are authorised to confirm. If a detail depends on another person’s decision or a future check, do not present it as settled.

• Commitment: What exactly are you agreeing to do?
• Deadline: Is the date confirmed, including any relevant time zone?
• Price or quantity: Does it match an approved figure and scope?
• Condition: Is the promise dependent on approval, availability, or another step?

Separate confirmed facts from assumptions

For every commitment, ask: “Where did this come from, and am I authorised to confirm it?” A date suggested in a draft is not a confirmed deadline. A price inferred from an earlier project may not apply to this one. A statement that work is “included” could change the expected scope.

Keep a promise only when you can verify both the detail and your authority to make it. If you can confirm part of a sentence but not all of it, preserve the confirmed part and qualify the rest. Avoid vague caveats that still leave the reader believing the commitment is final.

Revise without making the reply evasive

When a detail is unknown, say what remains to be checked and what the next step is. For instance, replace “We will deliver this by [date]” with “I’m checking the schedule and will confirm a delivery date.” That communicates progress without creating a deadline you have not approved.

For a price, avoid substituting an estimate unless you have permission and a sound basis to provide one. You can say that you will confirm the price after checking the agreed scope. For a condition, name the dependency plainly: “This is subject to [approval or condition].” Use a specific condition only if it is real and relevant.

A before-and-after example

Suppose a sender asks whether a proposed change can be completed by a certain date and asks what it will cost. The AI draft supplies a definite deadline and amount, although neither appears in the thread or in an approved quote. Do not keep those details just because the sentence reads naturally.

To: [client@example.com]
Subject: Re: [project change]

Thanks for outlining the change. I’m checking the schedule and agreed scope before confirming a delivery date or price. I’ll reply with those details once they’ve been verified.

Best,
[Your name]

Before sending, replace each bracketed field and confirm the reply addresses the sender’s actual request.

Make one final pass before sending

After editing, read the complete reply from the recipient’s point of view. Ask whether any sentence could reasonably be understood as a firm promise, even if you intended it as an estimate or possibility. Check that qualifications sit beside the relevant statement, rather than being buried elsewhere.

Confirm that names, dates, recipients, attachments, and financial details match the conversation and your intended response. Then compare the final draft with your notes: every remaining commitment should have a source and be within your authority. If a key detail is still unresolved, say so clearly or wait to send until it is confirmed. A successful review means the recipient can distinguish what is agreed from what is still pending.