Glossary · Updated Sep 2, 2026

Citations in AI answers

Links or references an AI tool attaches to its statements so users can verify claims against the original source.

Definition

Citation features show which passages or pages an answer draws on, either inline or as footnotes, and sometimes highlight the exact quote. Their reliability depends on whether the model actually used the source, so good tools show supporting text and let users open the document. Answer engines and research tools compete on citation quality.

Why it matters when choosing a tool

Citations turn an AI answer into a starting point for verification instead of a claim to accept on faith.

Where you will meet it

AI Research & Search, AI Legal & Contracts, AI Learning & Tutoring

Related terms

Grounding · Hallucination · Answer engine

Tools where this matters

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