An AI-assisted answer links to a company help page. A week later, the page describes a different feature. The link still works, but it no longer establishes what was available when you wrote your note.
Record when you accessed the source as well as the URL. Keep the source’s own publication or update date separately if it provides one. The date you retrieved a page is not proof that its content was newly published or fully current.
Make a claim-level record
For each important statement, save the page title, publisher, direct URL, access date and the section that supports it. Add a short note about scope: product version, country, account type or other conditions. A general homepage is a weak substitute for the specific documentation behind a claim.
In an illustrative software comparison, “Feature available” is too broad. A better note says that the vendor’s documentation, accessed on a stated date, describes the feature for a named plan and platform. That wording lets a later reviewer see exactly what needs rechecking.
Read past the generated summary
Open the cited page and verify that it supports the statement. A source may discuss a related concept without establishing the precise claim the answer made. Check whether the text describes a released feature, a preview, a proposal or a discontinued option.
If the page cannot be accessed, mark the claim as unverified rather than borrowing the AI answer’s confidence. Search snippets can help locate material, but they are not a complete replacement for context.
Where permitted, preserve a modest excerpt or an internal research snapshot with its provenance. Respect access conditions and avoid collecting unnecessary personal information. The purpose is traceability, not copying an entire publication into your notes.
Before acting on a time-sensitive finding, revisit the primary source. A retrieval date makes research easier to audit; it does not freeze the outside world. The strongest record tells another person what you checked, when you checked it and which uncertainty remained.