“When does an AI Tool answer need a second look before I act on it — and does that change when the AI is taking an action, not just answering?”
Place each scenario on the consequence ladder
AI Tool rewrote a party invitation to sound friendlier.
AI Tool recommended a specific replacement pump model for the condo system.
AI Tool calculated the tax implications of the condo's shared-system replacement cost.
You said “add six eggs” while unpacking groceries; the Kitchen Inventory Agent misheard it over the noise as “add sixteen eggs” and applied it.
Depth ladder
Not every AI Tool answer deserves the same amount of scrutiny — a rewritten party invitation barely matters if it's slightly off; a tax calculation or a safety-relevant spec absolutely does. Higher-stakes answers and actions deserve more checking before you rely on them.
Knowledge check
Given a new scenario, place it on the consequence ladder and name the verification step it warrants.