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Perplexity.ai Turns Tables on Google, Upends SEO Credos
Original article seen at: spectrum.ieee.org on February 24, 2024
tldr
- 🚀 Perplexity.ai has developed an AI-powered search engine that cites multiple sources.
- 🔍 The search engine uses retrieval-augmented generation and traditional search techniques.
- 🌐 The company believes it can compete with Google by focusing on the head of the distribution for search and not being constrained by ads.
summary
Perplexity.ai, a startup founded in August 2022, has developed an AI-powered search engine that is updated daily and responds to queries by citing multiple sources. The company initially aimed to build a Text-to-SQL tool, but pivoted towards creating a search engine after observing the limitations of OpenAI's ChatGPT. The search engine, which now has over 10 million monthly users, uses a combination of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and traditional search techniques. The RAG model, invented by researchers at Meta, the University of London, and New York University, pairs generative AI with a retriever that can find and reference specific data from a vector database. Perplexity.ai also uses a web crawler, PerplexityBot, to index the internet. The company's co-founder and CTO, Denis Yarats, believes that the AI-powered search engine can compete with Google by focusing on the head of the distribution for search and not being constrained by the need to display ads.starlaneai's full analysis
Perplexity.ai's development of an AI-powered search engine represents a significant advancement in the AI industry. The company's innovative approach, combining retrieval-augmented generation and traditional search techniques, could potentially transform the search engine industry and challenge established players like Google. However, Perplexity.ai will need to overcome significant challenges, including competing with Google's vast resources and infrastructure, and addressing potential ethical issues around data privacy and algorithmic bias. The success of Perplexity.ai's search engine could also have a ripple effect on adjacent industries and attract more investment in AI-powered search tools, thereby changing the AI investment landscape.
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starlaneai's Ratings & Analysis
Technical Advancement
85 Perplexity.ai's AI-powered search engine represents a significant technical advancement in the field of AI. The use of retrieval-augmented generation and traditional search techniques is innovative and potentially transformative for the search engine industry.
Adoption Potential
70 Given the limitations of existing AI search tools, there is a high likelihood of Perplexity.ai's search engine being widely adopted. However, the company will need to overcome the challenge of competing with established players like Google.
Public Impact
80 The development of an AI-powered search engine that provides up-to-date information and cites multiple sources could have a significant impact on the public, particularly in terms of improving access to reliable information.
Innovation/Novelty
75 The combination of retrieval-augmented generation and traditional search techniques in an AI-powered search engine is a novel approach in the AI industry.
Article Accessibility
60 The article is fairly accessible to a general audience, although some of the technical details may be difficult for non-experts to understand.
Global Impact
65 The potential global impact of Perplexity.ai's search engine is significant, given the global reach of the internet and the importance of search engines in accessing information.
Ethical Consideration
50 The article does not discuss ethical considerations in detail, although the use of AI in search engines raises potential ethical issues around data privacy and algorithmic bias.
Collaboration Potential
80 The development of Perplexity.ai's search engine suggests potential for collaboration with other companies and researchers in the AI industry.
Ripple Effect
70 The development of an AI-powered search engine could have a ripple effect on adjacent industries, particularly those that rely heavily on internet search for their operations.
Investment Landscape
75 The success of Perplexity.ai's search engine could potentially attract more investment in AI-powered search tools, thereby changing the AI investment landscape.