AI is Revolutionizing Search but Also Bringing a Major Problem
The internet is currently facing a crisis, with artificial intelligence (AI) being seen as the main culprit. For decades, when seeking knowledge online, Google search has almost become the go-to option. We enter keywords and then click on the links the search engine provides. The search function has nearly monopolized our information retrieval behavior to the point where we rarely question its authenticity.
However, artificial intelligence is rapidly changing everything. A new generation of AI-powered "answer engines" is gradually emerging, which can provide us with the information we need more conveniently by directly providing answers rather than making us laboriously browse through various page links. At the same time, AI-generated content is abundant on the internet, varying widely in quality. This content pollutes search results, significantly diminishing the utility of traditional search.
The impact of this shift could be profound. Ethan Mollick, an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, points out that the way we search for information using search engines can almost be completely replaced by systems driven by the new generation of large language models. Mollick has recently gained fame for analyzing these AI systems.
