The other day, chatting with my friend, the topic of search engines came up. Before I could finish my usual question, he surprised me by declaring, I'm done with Google Search!' I braced myself for a privacy rant, but instead, he suggested something unexpected: switching my default Firefox search engine to a Perplexity extension. Honestly, it hadn't even crossed my mind. Why would I ever abandon the familiar Google bar?
Over the past 30 years, the basic structure of a Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP) has remained largely unchanged. If you haven't used Google Search in a while, or perhaps you're entirely new to the internet (see screenshot for reference), you'll find a familiar layout. There are two main categories of results: sponsored results, which Google prioritizes because they generate revenue, and organic results, which are free listings based on Google's algorithms. To find the information you need, you'll have to browse these results and decide which ones to click on.
It's true that Google has trained users to navigate their SERPs for a long time, and most people haven't necessarily questioned this format. However, this discussion doesn't delve into the complexities of ranking algorithms or potential manipulation of results for now.
Compare yourself
After nearly a year of experimenting with AI, I started thinking about how search engines could be improved. Then, Google announced plans for a future "light" search with a free tier and a "pro" search with a subscription. The specifics remain unclear. However, we already have the Gnoppix AI agent. Unfortunately, it seems to lack the resources or manpower for proper integration.
Focusing on usability, and after a conversation with a friend, I discovered perplexity. It already delivers the features I was looking for. After some quick research on user privacy, I decided to give it a try.
Forget what you know about search results pages. This takes the revolutionary approach I was looking for. Instead of a list of links, you'll see a comprehensive AI-generated summary that condenses the findings from a deep web search. This summary provides the key information I need, along with links to the original sources for further exploration. Perfect, match.
Perplexity doesn't stop there! With a click of the "rewrite" button, you can further customize your results.
Switching search engines isn't just about escaping a monopoly, it's about embracing a smarter and more intuitive way to navigate the web.
Just a heads-up: While Perplexity excels in usability compared to Google Search, it's important to remember that most online platforms record user activity. I still believe a truly anonymous search engine is the ideal solution, but for now, Perplexity is lightyears ahead of Google and our own solution is simply not possible.