Knowing When To Use AIs Versus Search Engines

The Growing Role of AI in Everyday Life

Artificial intelligence is changing the way we live, work, and learn. It's making things more automated, efficient, and personalized. However, with AI tools like Large Language Models (LLMs) becoming more popular, many people are unsure when and how to use them. They don't fully understand them. To use AI tools effectively, we need to know what they're designed for and how to use them correctly. For students, knowing when to use a large language model versus a Search Engine can be confusing and also lead to misinformation.

What are Search Engines?

Search Engines and LLMs are valuable tools but serve different purposes. Understanding these differences helps users choose the right tool for the job. Search Engines, like Google and Bing, are designed to retrieve information from across the Internet. They provide real-time access to various sources. This makes them ideal for finding up-to-date news, statistics, and official reports.

What are Large Language Models (LLMs)?

LLMs, like ChatGPT and Grok, generate responses based on the data they've been trained on. This data may not always be current because LLMs often lack access to the most current information. As a result, LLMs are more suited for tasks like summarizing existing knowledge, generating creative content, or assisting with writing tasks.

What's the Difference Between Search Engines And LLMs?

Bing AI and Perplexitity AI are both LLM-powered search tools. They both can search the web in real time. Bing AI will search the Bing Search Engine for you and then paraphrase the results with a search report. Similarly, Perplexity uses AI to interpret your questions, then searches Google and compiles the most relevant information with basic citations for you. These types of LLMs are like research partners.

ChatGPT's newest AI agent, Deep Research, has recently blurred the line between LLMs and Search Engine use. This AI agent can be prompted to independently discover, reason about, and consolidate insights from across the web with citations. It offers more detailed and in-depth answers than Perplexity AI. Unlike Perplexity AI, Deep Research is cost-prohibitive because it is only available to paying customers.

Choosing the Right Tool For The Job

Knowing when to use a LLM or a search engine can save you time and increase the quality of your results. You can research, write, and make decisions more effectively by understanding which tool is best for a specific task. LLMs and search engines each have their strengths. LLMs excel at tasks that require creative thinking, generating content, or summarizing complex information. For instance, let's say you're preparing a debate on the long-term effects of climate change. You can use a LLM like Sage.Education to help you quickly brainstorm, outline, and draft sections to or summarize your existing research. Sage.Education is an example of an AI-powered platform for educational settings. It is a powerful AI platform that lets learners explore what LLMs and AIs can do. It allows users to make their own AI models and tools.

Search engines, on the other hand, are perfect for retrieving real-time, accurate data. Use a search engine when you need the latest, most accurate data. For example, suppose you're looking for the most recent statistics on climate change from a government report. In that case, a search engine like Brave Search will provide you with real-time, factual information directly from online sources.

Conclusion

The integration of AI into our daily lives is unstoppable. AI has enormous potential to enhance learning and streamline tasks. Understanding how to use these tools is crucial. Learners must grasp the distinctions between LLMs and traditional search engines.