AI-powered tools like Perplexity are replacing Google as the go-to search resource for a growing number of people. Even AI tools that are not focused on searching the web, like Microsoft’s Copilot and Claude’s pro version, provide links to resources in their results. Is it enough to dethrone Google, which has held sway over search for decades? Some say yes, while others question whether AI is best for the variety of different uses to which people put Google. Neville and Shel are not in complete agreement on this one.

Links from this episode:

• Is the Era of Search Engines Coming to an End?
• Search engine results are getting worse, research confirms
• Is Google’s 20-year dominance of search in peril?
• The Future of Online Search: A Closer Look at Perplexity AI (by Neville Hobson)
• Perplexity is ready to take on Google
• Here’s why AI search engines really can’t kill Google
• As AI Expands, Public Trust Seems To Be Falling
• Financial Times tests an AI chatbot trained on decades of its own articles
• Here’s why AI search engines really can’t kill Google

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The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, April 29.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat most Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email fircomments@gmail.com.

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast are Shel’s and Neville’s and do not reflect the views of their employers and/or clients.

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