Resources
Tools to put skeptical intelligence into practice
Grounded in the same research behind the book — the four habits of skeptical intelligence, operationalized as the eight-step Skeptics Playbook — built for teams, classrooms, and individual use.
Skeptics Playbook
Question Well. Decide Better.
Eight steps for questioning an AI-generated answer before it shapes a decision you can't take back.
The eight steps
A practical routine for questioning an AI-generated answer before it shapes a real decision.
Solve
State what you're actually deciding, and why — push past the first version of the question to what's really underneath it.
Know
Write down your own preliminary answer before you look at the model's, so your judgment isn't contaminated by its language.
Evidence
Trace the sources behind the answer: how current they are, what's missing, and where the answer breaks down.
Phrasings
Rerun the question with the burden of proof reversed, and from a hostile skeptic's framing. See if the answer survives.
Tear down
Premortem it: how does this fail badly within a year? What question isn't being asked that should be?
Independent
Take it to a different model or a human expert. AI critiquing AI is not independence — shared training data means shared blind spots.
Conclusion
Map the evidence against the decision you set out to make. You decide. The model doesn't.
Speak Up
Voice your final conclusion and your remaining concerns to yourself and your team.
The Skeptical Quotient
Ted and Priyanka's research also produced a measurement scale for this skill, the Skeptical Quotient (SQ) — a first step toward letting individuals and teams assess their own ability to question and verify AI-generated claims. An online SQ self-assessment is in development; join the newsletter to hear when it's ready to try.
Downloadable resources
SI quick start guide
A short introduction to the four habits of skeptical intelligence and how to start using them this week.
Download PDFSkeptics Playbook team discussion worksheet
A guided worksheet to walk a team through applying the framework to a real, current decision.
Download PDFSample SI workshop agenda
A ready-to-adapt half-day agenda for introducing skeptical intelligence inside an organization.
Download PDFFor educators and trainers
Skeptical intelligence extends critical thinking training for a world where students and professionals reason alongside AI, not just about it. The four-habits framework gives instructors a concrete, teachable structure rather than a general exhortation to "think critically."
We're happy to talk about adapting these materials for a classroom, onboarding program, or internal training.
Contact us for teaching materials