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The big tech story of 2023 so far has been the emergence of ChatGPT, and it’s no surprise. ChatGPT and similar software is going to be genuinely game-changing when it comes to how we interact with the online world, and in particular – the face of the internet, search engines.
In this post, we’re going to look at the current state of play regarding artificial intelligence and search engines. Spoiler alert, it’s been a big week!
But first, what is ChatGPT?
Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is a generative AI programme that, in its simplest form, can imitate the writing of a human. Whilst it’s not the only software that can do this, it’s the model that has captured the imagination of the tech world.
Once a user has signed up (it’s currently free), all they need to do is provide the tool with clear instructions on what they require. Within a matter of seconds, prose will emerge on screen.
For example, if we ask the tool to ‘describe ChatGPT in 20 words in the style of a poem’, here’s what we get:
A language model grand, AI’s shining star, Answers questions with speed, near and far. A poet at heart, its words ever bright, ChatGPT’s knowledge, a guiding light.
So, whilst it’s certainly fun to play with (if you can put the thoughts of John Connor and T-800 to the back of your mind) and potentially useful for businesses (think chatbots, automations, content creation, etc.), what does this technology really mean when it comes to how we interact with the internet?
Let’s take a look.
The search engines
The way we use the internet has become second nature to us, but change is coming.
According to recent data, the search engine market share (worldwide) is:
- Google: 92.9%
- Bing: 3.03%
- Yahoo!: 1.22%
- YANDEX: 0.85%
- Baidu: 0.65%
- DuckDuckGo: 0.58%
- Other: 0.67%
Here’s what Google and Bing, the top two search engines have planned.
Bing and ChatGPT
In what is being coined as the latest ‘search wars’ – this week Microsoft beat Google to the punch, albeit via a preview mode.
Microsoft (Bing’s operator) has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI, so it’s no surprise that ChatGPT has now been integrated into Bing – the world’s second-most popular search engine.
Speaking at the launch of the updated Bing, Satya Nadella – Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, said: “AI will fundamentally change every software category, starting with the largest category of all – search.”
Reports suggest that Google were ‘caught off guard’ by ChatGPT, which led to the tech giant’s ‘long-absent founders’ Larry Page and Sergey Brin being pulled in to deal with the fallout. This in turn led to Google announcing Bard (more on this below) one day before Microsoft made its official statement on AI and search.
Nonetheless, the updated version of Bing is here, and can be tested out on the ‘Introducing the new Bing’ page. As the page demonstrates, once fully operational, Bing will allow users to ask sophisticated questions and be presented with answers (in a requested style) – alongside links to relevant articles.
For example, if you were to ask Bing the following:
I am planning a trip for our anniversary in September. What are some places we can go that are within a 3 hour flight from London Heathrow?
Bing will then conversationally congratulate you and then present you with a list of ideas, all within the remit set out above.
Google’s ChatGPT rival
Also this week – Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, defined their ‘AI Journey’ via a blog article. And the word to familiarise yourself with is ‘Bard’.
Bard is Google’s version of ChatGPT, and is powered by their large language model, LaMDA.
The chatbot is currently in the hands of testers and is expected to be launched officially shortly, but Google has previewed how this will look once it has been implemented into search results.
Sundar Pichai said: “Bard seeks to combine the breadth of the world’s knowledge with the power, intelligence and creativity of our large language models. It draws on information from the web to provide fresh, high-quality responses. Bard can be an outlet for creativity, and a launchpad for curiosity, helping you to explain new discoveries from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to a 9-year-old, or learn more about the best strikers in football right now, and then get drills to build your skills.”
Like Bing’s ChatGPT integration, Bard will enable the user to ask multi-faceted questions and, if they want, request that the information be curated for a particular audience.
Unlike the current convention, where we are taken to a separate page with a list of results, Bard will present the information to the user in real time, like an online conversation. Links to relevant articles will then appear beneath this ‘conversation’.
In his blog, Pichai says that people are now asking Google more nuanced questions. Whereas they used to ask, ‘how many keys does a piano have? – questions are now more akin to “is the piano or guitar easier to learn, and how much practice does each need?”.
Apparently, Bard – and not a traditional search – is better suited to such an inquiry.
Try out an artificial intelligence-powered search engine for yourself
Whilst the undeniable big players duke it out, search engine You.com (which focuses on providing its users with privacy) has already gone live with its YouChat facility.
It works in very much the same way that Bing and Google’s new search products will. Ask your question, hit enter, and you’ll be provided with an informal – yet informative – response, accompanied by some links to appropriate articles.
We recommend trying it out to get an idea of how this new search functionality will work.
What do you think?
Will you embrace this next phase of search, or would you prefer to be given a list of links without the pretence of it being provided as part of a conversation?
Artificial intelligence is going to have ramifications for everyone, but businesses in particular need to pay attention, as it’s going to have a huge impact on how they get found online.
Exciting? Scary? Unethical? We’d love to know what you think. Please get in touch with a comment.
Thanks for reading. For more posts like this, please see our central blog page.
I think it’s exciting! But kind of scary too 🙂
Thanks for your comment Scarlett – we agree, there is a chance it could go a bit Skynet!
Kind regards,
The Rapid Formations Team
This is really interesting and will be very interesting to see how this develops
We’re glad you found this article useful.
Kind regards,
The Rapid Formations Team