Help centre
Frequently asked questions
How Le Recul works: the site, the AI ranking, tested promises, our news coverage, the community and our method.
How the site works
Navigation, the newsletter, the sections, and what happens to your data.
How is the site organised?
Le Recul is built around five sections: AI news (analysis of what is happening), Tested promises (claims made by AI tools, put to the test), the AI ranking (comparisons by use case), Testimonials and the Newsletter. The main navigation sits at the top of every page, and a full map is in the footer.
What is the newsletter and how often does it go out?
The newsletter is a weekly recap — one a week, no more — covering the promises we tested, the verdicts, and the moves in the AI ranking. Subscribing is free and optional.
How do I unsubscribe from the newsletter?
Every email carries a one-click unsubscribe link at the bottom. It takes effect immediately.
What is the AI news section?
AI news gathers articles that analyse and put the significant events in AI back in context, with sources to back them up and a critical eye rather than a simple relay of announcements.
What is a tested promise?
A tested promise is a distinct editorial format: we take a claim — often a marketing one — put it through a real test, then publish a clear verdict. It is neither a news article nor a simple opinion.
What is the AI ranking for?
The AI ranking compares models and tools by use case (chat, code, image, agents, local AI, and so on) from public sources, to help you pick the right tool for a specific need. It is currently published in French only.
Is there a search function on the site?
No internal search engine for now. You navigate by section, and within the ranking, by use case.
What cookies does the site use?
The site uses audience measurement and, where applicable, advertising cookies, governed by Consent Mode v2 and our own banner (accept, refuse or customise). You can change your choice at any time via « Cookie settings » in the footer.
How do I contact Le Recul or share my own experience?
Write to contact@lerecul.com or use the Contact page. For an account of your own experience, your email address stays private: nothing is published without your explicit agreement.
AI ranking
The method behind the ranking: how it is calculated, its sources, its updates and its limits.
How is the AI ranking calculated?
Each category aggregates recognised public sources (LM Arena, SWE-bench, Aider, MMLU-Pro, LiveBench, Artificial Analysis and others), weighted by use case. Le Recul derives a composite score normalised to 100, with close calls settled on source coverage, source independence, evaluation status and recency. The detailed method is published on the AI ranking page, in French.
Why are some models missing?
A model may be missing when public data is lacking, rests on a single uncorroborated source, or does not fit the category — a local model too large for the « local » categories, for instance. Absence is not a judgement: it means the data is too thin for an honest ranking.
How often is the ranking updated?
The data is refreshed regularly, and the cadence is shown at the top of the ranking. Only the data files are updated, not the whole site, and the date of the last update is displayed at the top of the page.
Why rank AI models by use case?
An AI that is excellent at code is not necessarily good at images, chat or agent work. Ranking by use case avoids the misleading comparisons of a generic « top 10 » and reflects what choosing a tool actually involves.
Is the ranking sponsored?
No. The ranking is neither sponsored nor paid for: no vendor can buy a position. Affiliate links, where they exist, are stated and play no part in the scores.
What are the limits of the ranking?
Benchmarks remain imperfect and a score never sums everything up. The ranking is a reference point, not an absolute truth: an impressive demo is not proof, and we say so when the data is fragile.
What does the « Le Recul score » represent?
It is a composite score out of 100 that synthesises several sources weighted by use case. It serves to order models within the same category, not to compare different categories with each other.
Tested promises
A distinct editorial format: one claim, one test, one verdict.
How do you choose which promises to test?
We favour visible claims with real stakes for the reader — cost, time, risk — along with subjects flagged by the community. The aim is to test what can genuinely mislead people.
What is the difference between a tested promise, an opinion and a news article?
A tested promise rests on a concrete test that ends in a verdict. A news article analyses a recent event. An opinion is not a test: at Le Recul, a verdict is backed by verification.
What do the verdicts mean?
Verdicts run from « kept » to « impossible », passing through « partly kept », « overstated », « unproven » and « misleading ». They sum up what the test actually showed.
Can a verdict change?
Yes. If the tool, the offer or the price changes, a test can be reassessed. The freshness status on the page tells you whether the content is current, worth watching, or has been updated.
What are the limits of your tests?
A test runs under stated conditions — duration, scope, target audience — and does not generalise to every case. We say plainly what was tested, and what was not.
AI news
Our editorial line: how we pick subjects, which sources we use, how we handle rumours.
How do you choose which news to cover?
We keep the events with real impact for users and for the industry, and favour a step back over chasing the buzz.
Which sources do you use for the news?
First-rank sources, cited in every article: official communications, scientific publications (arXiv), established press (Reuters, AP and others) and primary documents wherever they exist.
Do you update news articles?
Yes, when it is warranted. The publication date and, where applicable, the update date are displayed.
What is the difference between news, an in-depth piece and a tested promise?
News covers a recent event. An in-depth piece is a longer, more thorough format. A tested promise is a test that ends in a verdict. Three distinct formats.
How do you handle rumours?
Carefully: a rumour is flagged as a rumour and never presented as established fact. We always separate what is confirmed from what is not.
Discord
What the community is for, and where it sits next to the site and the newsletter.
What is the Le Recul Discord server for?
Discord is where conversation happens in real time: asking questions, reacting to verdicts, suggesting subjects, following the behind-the-scenes of our tests and talking with other readers. It is a French-speaking community.
What is the difference between the site, the newsletter and Discord?
The site is the reference source — articles, tests, ranking. The newsletter is a passive weekly recap. Discord is where the live interaction and the community are.
What does the newsletter do that Discord does not?
The newsletter sums up what matters once a week and asks nothing of you beyond reading it. Discord is for talking, reacting and contributing.
Can I take part in the discussions?
Yes, the server is open. Anyone can ask a question, share an experience or comment on a test, within the community rules. Conversation there is mainly in French.
How do I flag an AI claim to be tested, from Discord?
A dedicated space lets you suggest a claim or a tool to test. What the community flags feeds directly into future tests.
What are the community rules?
Respect, no spam or heavy self-promotion, sourced arguments, and good faith. The goal is a useful, honest exchange, in the spirit of the outlet.
What is Discord worth to a reader?
Influencing which subjects get tested, seeing the discussions and the behind-the-scenes, help from other users, and direct contact with the newsroom.
Social media
Where to follow Le Recul and how our content travels there.
Where can I follow Le Recul on social media?
Le Recul is on several official accounts — notably Bluesky, Mastodon, Facebook and Instagram — and runs a Discord server. The links are in the footer. Posts there are currently in French.
Why do the formats differ from one network to another?
Every platform has its own conventions: we adapt the form — thread, visual, short video — without changing the substance or the verdicts.
How are the excerpts you post chosen?
We highlight representative excerpts that always link back to the full article on the site, never to a misleading, truncated version.
How do the social accounts relate to the site?
Social media gives a glimpse and points to the site, which remains the complete source and the reference.
Is posting to social media automated?
Part of the distribution is automated to save time, but the editorial line, the choice of subjects and the verdicts are decided and approved by humans.
Sources and method
How we select sources, quote them, correct ourselves, and use AI.
How do you select your sources?
We favour official documents, product pages, recognised benchmarks and reliable press, following a published charter. Sources are cross-checked wherever possible.
Do you cite your sources?
Yes. The sources used are listed in every article, so that readers can check for themselves.
How do you correct a mistake?
A reported error is checked and then corrected; an important correction is made visible and dated.
Does Le Recul use AI to produce its content?
AI can assist with research, structuring or summarising, but it never concludes in place of a human: the verdict and the editorial decision stay human, and everything is proofread. The detail is in our AI charter.
What is the difference between a source, an analysis and an opinion?
A source is a verifiable fact; an analysis puts that fact in context; an opinion, where there is one, is flagged as such.
Support and independence
Business model, editorial independence, and ways to support the outlet.
What is Le Recul’s business model?
The business model is still being defined. As things stand: no paywall, no intrusive advertising, no third-party trackers. Affiliate links, where they exist, are stated. The terms will be published as soon as they are settled.
Is there advertising on the site?
No intrusive advertising today. Any change would be announced transparently and would stay compatible with privacy.
How do you guarantee your editorial independence?
Editorial content is kept separate from any commercial relationship: no vendor pays for a verdict, a ranking position or favourable coverage.
How can I support Le Recul?
Reading and sharing the articles, subscribing to the newsletter, sending us an account of your own experience or flagging a claim worth testing are all real support.
Contact and reports
Writing to us, reporting an error, suggesting a subject.
How do I contact Le Recul?
By email at contact@lerecul.com, or through the Contact page.
How do I report an error?
Write to contact@lerecul.com and name the article concerned: every reported error is checked and, where needed, corrected.
How do I suggest a subject?
Through the Contact page or the Discord server. Reader suggestions feed directly into the editorial line.
How do I suggest a claim to be tested?
By email, through the experience form, or on Discord — describing the claim and where you saw it.
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