When comparing traditional Google search with keyword-based queries to the natural language prompting of emerging AI platforms like Perplexity AI, the distinction becomes clear:
Google Search (Keyword-based): Treasure hunting with a search engine relies heavily on keywords to understand and retrieve information. Users must think of the right keywords that best represent their query, and the search results are based on the matching of these keywords to content available on the internet. This method can be somewhat limiting because it depends on the user’s ability to guess and use the correct keywords that the search engine will recognize and match effectively.
Natural Language Prompting: Platforms like Perplexity and OpenAI use advanced natural language processing technologies that allow users to ask questions or make requests in full sentences, just as they would naturally speak or think. This method is more intuitive and user-friendly because it processes queries in a way that understands context, intent, and even nuanced meanings behind the words. Users don’t need to simplify their thoughts into keywords but can instead interact with the AI in a conversational manner, making the search experience more aligned with human communication.