arXiv:2510.00361 · v3

Attribution Gradients: Incrementally Unfolding Citations for Critical Examination of Attributed AI Answers

首次提交 2025-10-01 08:07

版本更新 2026-10-29 07:22

雷达观测 2026-10-30 11:25

摘要

AI answer engines are a relatively new kind of information search tool: rather than returning a ranked list of documents, they generate an answer to a search question with inline citations to sources. But reading the cited sources is costly, and citation links themselves offer little guidance about what evidence they contain. We present attribution gradients, a technique to boost the informativeness of citations by consolidating scent and information prey in place. Its first feature is bringing evidence counts, supporting/contradictory excerpts, links to sources, and contextual explanations into one place. Its second feature is the ability to unravel second-degree citations in place. In a lab study, we demonstrate usage of the full gradient in a critical reading task and its support for deep engagement that increased the depth of what readers took away from the sources versus a standard citation and document QA design.