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[Discussion] What's your thoughts on AI generated search engines compared to other ways to find information? (self.asklemmy)

submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by Jaluvshuskies to c/[email protected]

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Like most of you, I used reddit as solely my only source for finding information. Looking to hear your guys' thoughts on this topic, and hopefully explain and share some knowledge in a more sophisticated manner than I can describe. (also, I hope this is an appropriate place to post?)

I have ran into this discussion a few times across the fediverse, but I can't for the life of my find those threads and comments lol

I believe that a non-corporate owned platform with user-generated information is most optimal, like wikipedia. I don't know the technicalities, but I feel like AI can't replace answers from human experiences - humans who are enthusiasts and care about helping each other and not making money. This is one of those things where I feel like I know the "best" way to find information, but I don't know the deep answers of why, and what makes the other platforms worse (aside from the obvious ads, bloatware, and corporate greed)

I don't know much about this topic, but I'm curious if you guys have actual real answers! Thread-based services like this and stack overflow (?) vs chatgpt vs bing vs google, etc.

EDIT: Wow, all your responses are fantastic. I'm not very knowledgeable about the subject so I can't really continue everyone's responses with a discussion, but I love and appreciate the insight in this thread! But I'll try to think of some follow up questions :)

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I personally do not like the idea of AI powered "search" engines since AI has been known in the past to absolutely make stuff up and site fake articles that don't actually exist.

I don't remember the exact article, but I do remember the story of either a lawyer or law professor (I can't remember which) who asked an AI chatbot about himself and it came up citing a fake news article about him having sexual relations with a student of his (if I am remembering this all correctly).

Also, I prefer a traditional search where I am given a ton of varying links to different web pages displayed in a listed order so that way I can open a link and if I don't find what I'm looking for, just close said link and try another one. Compare that to any time I've used Perplexity chatbot where at most at the end of each response I'm given a few different links that may or may not contain the answer I'm looking for if they're even legitimate.

[–] Jaluvshuskies 1 points 2 years ago

Yeah I don't either. Do you know if it makes stuff up because it searches the internet for answers, and then comes up with its' own answer? Or its' answer is purely based on it's poor ability to find accurate information, which leads to nonsense

How does it cite fake articles that don't exist? I had thought that it doesn't even provided sources. Or do you mean like it would say something vaguely like "according to a NY times article", or articles that do exist but are just completely filled with incorrect information?

Same here, I feel like traditional searching will always be superior. I don't think AI will ever be able to give organic responses, because in order to do that, it'll have to either have it's own experiences in every subject, or know how to pull from valid sources correctly in an efficient manner. Like I want to look up results and feedback about something from a real person who's experienced it and used it, and not giving out answers just for profit. Same reason why I avoid basically any article of "official source" at all costs. Anytime I go to a "recipe website" I go straight to the bottom and read the comments, but I honestly stopped going to those and used reddit instead lol