The days of Google’s undisputed internet search dominance may be coming to an end. The rise of generative AI has ushered in a new means of finding information on the web, with ChatGPT and Perplexity AI leading the way. Unlike traditional Google searches, these platforms scour the internet for information related to your query, then synthesize an answer using a conversational tone rather than returning a list of websites where the information can be found. This approach has proven popular with users, even though it has raised some serious concerns for content creators, whose data these platforms scrape.
But which is best for users to employ? Let’s take a closer look at how these two AI tools differ, and which will be the most helpful.
Perplexity is available at two price points: free and Pro. The free tier is available to everybody and offers unlimited “Quick” searches and limited daily “Pro” searches. The Pro plan, costing $20 per month, provides unlimited Quick searches, numerous Pro searches per day, and features like model choice, file uploads, and answer visualizations. OpenAI's offerings are quite similar. A free account grants access to the mini version of their AI, with limitations on data analysis, file uploads, and more. Meanwhile, their $20 Plus subscription amplifies these services across the board, granting users increased access to the platform. They also rolled out a new $200 Pro plan with unlimited priority access.
Just as ChatGPT’s Dall-E integration eliminated the need for external image generators, Search aims to render traditional search engines obsolete, blending the efficiencies of natural language with up-to-date information. More versatility is present within the ChatGPT ecosystem, allowing users to analyze, summarize, and ask follow-up questions, enhancing the interactive experience with the information retrieved.
That being said, ChatGPT and Perplexity serve diverging purposes. Perplexity, built for information retrieval, provides more precise answers with transparent citations from various sources incredible response speed. This so-called “answer engine” is particularly effective for research tasks, like summarizing white papers or industry insights and allows for filtering searches with specificity.
Although Perplexity is not entirely free from glitches, it has proven more accurate than ChatGPT Search, especially considering the latter’s struggles with providing factual accuracy. A recent study from Columbia’s Tow Center for Digital Journalism underscored these discrepancies. Their research highlighted ChatGPT's failure to return accurate information: of 200 examined articles, the tool made partial or complete errors over 150 times and acknowledged its lack of accuracy only 7 times during those instances.
OpenAI responded to the study, accusing the researchers of employing incorrect methods and withholding data. “The nature of these models varies widely based on the specifics of the prompt,” they claimed. Even with these challenges, they maintain their position: these AI tools are best suited to distinct tasks.
On a different note, the advancements of search technology take on another dimension as Google merged data with creativity, inspiring its latest fashion showcase. On the cultural front, the tech giant recently transformed search trends from its yearly report from just numbers to runway visuals. The event, held at the Landmark Event Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, brought together journalists, celebrities, and influencers to celebrate the colorful representation of trending searches.
According to Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, the aim was to create relatability through fashion. “We wanted to tell a story, to bring the list closer to the people,” Kola-Ogunlade explained, “and fashion was the perfect medium because it mirrors our bold, expressive, and colorful culture.”
This innovative runway show featured five distinct collections based on the year's most searched topics, from athleisure to royal-inspired designs. The Active Flavours collection seamlessly combined trends around sports and food, featuring models clad in vibrant athleisure wear, highlighting the synergy between health consciousness and culinary interests.
The Future Grid collection comprehensively addressed searches surrounding gadgets, news, and top questions, presenting attires like long jackets and blazers. One popular inquiry showcased during the event collectively asked, “How much is the dollar to naira today?”
The Royalty collection dazzled the audience with models dressed in iconic national attire, celebrating influential celebrity personalities through its designs. This segment drew emotional resonance as it was carefully followed by the Legacy collection, which richly honored those lost during the year, including notable figures such as Onyeka Onwenu, John Okafor, and Junior Pope. Models dressed in elegant black ensembles accompanied by stirring spoken word performances captured the somber tribute mood.
Concluding the event, the Pop Culture collection translated searches about movies, music, and fashion, showcasing vibrant, playful performances by models to live music from rising star Taves.
Through innovative approaches such as merging fashion with data, and the emergence of AI search engines reshaping how information is sourced, both technology and creativity are experiencing remarkable evolution. The digital arena is changing fast, but these transformative experiences remind us of the infinite ways we can connect through data and art.
