Perplexity
AI search with citations. Ask a question, get an answer with sources.
Use it if
- You want answers about recent things, with links to check
- You are replacing a Google search, not a conversation
- You care more about where an answer came from than how it is written
Skip it if
- You mainly want writing, editing or thinking out loud
- You want pictures, voice conversations or an agent on your files
- You already have search built into your assistant and it is enough
Perplexity is what you get if you cross a search engine with a chatbot and make it show its working. Ask a question, it searches the web, reads the results, and writes an answer with numbered sources you can click.
Why that matters
The big assistants answer from memory first and search second, if at all. For anything that happened recently, or any fact you intend to rely on, that is backwards. Perplexity searches first. The sources are right there, which turns the two-minute check into a ten-second one.
What it is good at
“What changed in the rules this year.” “Which of these three products is cheapest right now.” “What did that company announce yesterday.” Comparisons with current prices. Anything you would otherwise open six tabs for.
Honest limitations
I have not made it part of my setup, so this is orientation. The writing is serviceable, not good; it is a research tool, not a drafting one. And a citation is not a guarantee: it can cite a page that says something slightly different, so click the one that matters.
Next step
Use it where you would use a search engine, and keep ChatGPT or Claude for the writing. The bias prompt works on its answers too.
