Check the AI’s number before you forward it

How it works

1. Reads the claim. Every sentence with a number, percentage or amount, in English or Russian. No SQL needed.
2. Asks what a careful controller would. What is counted, for which period, compared with what or out of what, percent or percentage points, and whether a cause is shown or only stated.
3. Checks the arithmetic it can. A change that doesn’t follow from the two values next to it, a share above 100%, a part bigger than its whole, a percentage that contradicts its own counts.
4. Reads the SQL, if you add it, for the silent errors that return a plausible wrong number.
5. Writes the follow-up — the questions a senior analyst would ask, in one message you can paste back into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini.
6. Goes deeper on request. The optional “Check with AI” asks a model to quote each claim, test whether the numbers fit together and explain what the SQL really computes — only when you ask for it.

The instant check uses fixed rules, so it gives the same result every time and your text never leaves the page; “Check with AI” is clearly labelled as an AI review. The method behind it is in How to check numbers an AI gives you and How to ask an AI a question about your data; the terms are in the analytics glossary.

Practise it

Catching these traps is a skill. Wrong Number trains the first one through three questions: one database, three right answers to “how many customers do we have?”. Atterna Start teaches the SQL to reproduce numbers yourself: days 1–2 without an account, all ten free with an account.

FAQ

Do I need to know SQL?

No. Paste the sentence the AI gave you, for example from Copilot in Excel, ChatGPT or a BI summary. The checker reads the claim itself: what is counted, which period, compared with what or out of what, percent or percentage points, whether a cause is shown or only stated, and whether a stated change can follow from the two values next to it. If you have the SQL, add it as well.

How can I check if ChatGPT’s data analysis is correct?

Ask it to state the definition of every number, the exact period and whether the latest period is complete, every filter it applied, the numerator and denominator of every rate, and whether any join changed the row count. Then compare the result with a total you already trust. The AI Answer Checker writes these questions for the specific answer you paste.

Does the checker tell me whether a number is wrong?

No. Without your data nobody can. It finds what the answer leaves open — which amount, who is counted, which period, which denominator, whether a cause is shown or assumed — and the common silent SQL errors, so you know exactly what to ask.

Is my data sent anywhere?

The instant check runs in your browser; nothing you paste is sent for that check. If you agree to the notice and choose “Check with AI”, your answer and any SQL go to OpenAI. OpenAI keeps the request and reply for at least 30 days; during that time Atterna can review them there, only to check the quality of this tool. We do not keep their content in Atterna’s own database, server logs or analytics. Don’t include personal or confidential information.

What does “Check with AI” add?

Questions specific to your numbers. The AI quotes each claim, checks whether the figures fit together — implied counts, totals, averages and percentages — and reads what the SQL really computes. It still can’t see your data, so it gives questions and inconsistencies, not a verdict. It is free with a daily limit.

What SQL mistakes does it look for?

SUM or AVG after a join, COUNT(*) after a join, a LEFT JOIN undone by a WHERE condition, comparisons with = NULL, NOT IN with a subquery, missing status filters on orders or payments, COUNT(column) skipping NULLs, averages without medians, unguarded division, date ranges that cut off the last day, incomplete last periods, DISTINCT hiding join duplicates, AND/OR without brackets and LIMIT without ORDER BY.

Which assistants does it work with?

Any: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity, a BI tool’s AI summary or a colleague’s message. It reads English and Russian text and standard SQL.

Is it free?

Yes. The instant check of the text and the SQL needs no account. AI reviews need a confirmed free account, with up to 3 checks per UTC day.

By Kirill Sk, Data Product Manager