The advent of AI powered search with Perplexity and where Perplexity really shines
Beyond the Blue Links: The Dawn of the Answer Engine
For decades, the ritual of finding information online has been the same. We journey to a search engine like Google, type in our query, and in return, we are presented with a long list of blue links. This list is a map of potential destinations, a library catalog pointing to different doors. We, the users, then have to do the heavy lifting: opening each door, reading the contents, comparing different sources, and piecing together the answer for ourselves.
But what if the librarian could do all that for you? What if, instead of just giving you a map, it could visit all the destinations, read all the relevant passages, synthesize the information, and present you with a single, trustworthy answer? This is the revolutionary idea behind AI-powered search, and it has given rise to a new kind of tool: the "answer engine."
Meet Perplexity: Your AI Research Assistant
The most prominent example of this new wave is Perplexity AI. At its heart, Perplexity functions as an "answer engine" rather than a traditional search engine. When you ask it a question, its goal isn't to give you a list of websites to visit; its goal is to give you the answer directly. It scours the web in real-time, reads the top sources, and then crafts a direct, synthesized answer to your query.
How Does Perplexity Work?
It works in the following way:
- It receives our question and analyzes it.
- It searches for answers across the entire internet; it practically Googles for us. The results it obtains become sources for the answer.
- It generates an answer using the generative capability of AI but based on the sources it obtained in the previous step.
When to Use Perplexity vs Google?
We use Perplexity when we want to get an answer and that answer has to be absolutely correct and verified. We use Google when we want to reach a website, or get an answer, but we are willing to contribute to the research to verify the information.
Choose your Sources
One of the best things about Perplexity is that we can decide what kind of sources to use for the search. For example, we can choose to select only academic documents to obtain scientifically proven information, or we can choose only social networks to get opinions from other people, or to keep up with current trends.
Try This Now: Compare Perplexity vs. Google
Open Perplexity and Google in two separate tabs. Copy and paste the same question into both and compare the results. You will notice the fundamental difference in how they present information.
Use this prompt: "Best places to visit in Greece"
What to observe:
On Perplexity: Notice how it generates a direct, summarized answer, citing the sources (numbered links) it used to create the text.
On Google: See how it provides a list of links to articles, forums, and documentation. You would have to visit multiple sites to build your own answer.
Where Perplexity Really Shines
While chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini can also access the web, Perplexity is built from the ground up for research, and its strengths make it an incredibly powerful and efficient tool for fact-finding.
- Answers, Not Just Links: It saves you the immense effort of sifting through countless tabs. It does the reading and analysis for you, presenting a clean, consolidated summary.
- Citations are Everything: This is Perplexity's superpower. Every piece of information in its answer is linked to the specific source it came from. This allows you to instantly verify the information, builds trust, and dramatically reduces the risk of AI "hallucinations" (making things up).
- The Professional's Choice for Research: Because of its focus on cited, factual answers, Perplexity has become a favorite tool among researchers, academics, journalists, and anyone doing in-depth research. It's the go-to tool when the accuracy and source of the information are paramount.
Tool vs. Task: When to Use Perplexity vs. a General Chatbot
Choosing the right AI tool is like choosing between a research library and a creative studio. Both are powerful, but they are built for different kinds of work. Here’s a simple guide on when to reach for Perplexity versus a chatbot like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude.
Use Perplexity When...
- You need a verifiable, factual answer to a complex question.
- The accuracy and source of the information are your top priorities.
- You are doing research for an academic paper, a news article, or fact-checking a topic.
- You want a direct, synthesized answer but absolutely need to see the citations for where the information came from.
Use a Chatbot When...
- You want to brainstorm ideas, create original content like a blog post or email, or write code.
- You need help summarizing or analyzing a document that you provide.
- You are looking for a creative partner for tasks like writing a poem or drafting a marketing slogan.
- The goal is creative output, conversation, or generating content based on the model's vast training data rather than live web sources.
Key Concept: Perplexity is Personalized Articles
You can use Perplexity as your personalized article maker or personalized information giver.
Let's say you want an article about what the President said last night, and you want to go in dept with it, Perplexity can help you with that.
Why not use Google or Chatgpt?
Google AI overviews will generate a summary of the news, but it will not give you the full article. ChatGPT will generate an article, but it will not be based on the latest information.
Perplexity will give you the latest information, and it will give you the full article with citations. This is why Perplexity is a great tool for researchers and journalists.
Quick Check
What is the most important feature of Perplexity that makes it a trusted tool for researchers and journalists?
Recap: AI Powered Search with Perplexity
What we covered:
- AI is transforming web search, moving from traditional "search engines" that provide links to "answer engines" that provide direct answers.
- Perplexity is a leading answer engine that synthesizes information from multiple sources to answer your questions directly.
- Its key feature is providing citations for all its claims, making it a highly reliable tool for research.
- This focus on cited, factual answers has made it a favorite tool for academics, journalists, and researchers.
Why it matters:
- Using an answer engine like Perplexity can dramatically speed up your research process and increase your confidence in the information you find online.
Next up:
- Now that we know how powerful these tools are, we need to talk about safety. The next lesson covers how to use chatbots safely, especially with sensitive company data.