In a bold move away from the ubiquitous Google search engine, a new player, Perplexity, powered by artificial intelligence (A.I.), is making waves in the tech world. Founded by individuals with backgrounds in A.I. research at OpenAI and Meta, Perplexity has garnered attention for its unique approach to search queries, prompting comparisons with Google and sparking discussions about its potential to disrupt the search market.
Perplexity's rise has been swift, with tech insiders praising its capabilities on social media, and high-profile investors, including Jeff Bezos, backing the startup with a substantial $74 million funding round. The recent funding round, led by Institutional Venture Partners, values Perplexity at an impressive $520 million.
The shift towards Perplexity is notable at a time when some users express dissatisfaction with Google's search results, citing issues with spammy and low-quality websites cluttering the platform. The search engine landscape, once dominated by Google, appears to be evolving, with users exploring alternatives like Perplexity.
During a comprehensive test period where the author used Perplexity as the default search engine, both the free version and the paid Perplexity Pro, priced at $20 per month, were evaluated. Perplexity differentiates itself by using A.I. to generate summaries of search results rather than presenting a list of links. The summaries include annotations with source links, providing transparency and allowing users to explore the origins of the information.
One standout feature, "Copilot," assists users in refining queries by posing clarifying questions. Perplexity's ability to search within specific sources, such as academic papers, YouTube videos, or Reddit posts, offers a targeted and efficient search experience. The search engine runs on OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model and incorporates its own A.I. model, a variant of Meta's Llama 2 model. Users of the Pro version can choose from various models, including GPT-4 and Anthropic's Claude.
Perplexity's humility is evident in its capability to admit when it lacks information, presenting partial responses with disclaimers. This transparency distinguishes Perplexity from other A.I. chat products that may provide confident but inaccurate responses.
While the author remains attached to Google, the positive experience with Perplexity prompts speculation about the potential impact of A.I.-powered search engines on Google's dominance. The article acknowledges the fear of job loss and potential industry upheaval as A.I. search engines continue to evolve.
As Perplexity gains traction, the dynamic between established search engines and emerging A.I.-driven alternatives adds a layer of intrigue to the evolving landscape of information retrieval on the internet.
More: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/01/technology/perplexity-search-ai-google.html
