---
title: "A Plausible Output Needs a Baseline"
canonical: https://dxdev.com/blog/2026-04-28_plausible-output-needs-baseline/
datePublished: 2026-04-28
---
# A Plausible Output Needs a Baseline

An output can look normal while quietly dropping an important class of information.

## The practical check

Compare the result with a known-good baseline before trusting a clean-looking presentation.

## Where AI fits

AI can highlight material size, shape, and category differences between a new output and an approved reference.

## The human decision

People decide which differences are expected and whether the output meets its contract.

## The lesson

A plausible output deserves trust only after it survives comparison with what good looked like before.

Approved-reference comparison for missing size, shape, or category information is covered in the Build Log companion.