Have you used ChatGPT or any other AI-based chatbots? Have you wondered whether chatbots replace search engines? Let us first understand what is the difference between ChatGPT, an AI-based chatbot, and Google, a search engine.
As per Wikipedia – A chatbot or chatterbot is a software application used to conduct an online chat conversation via text or text-to-speech, in lieu of providing direct contact with a live human agent. Chatbots are computer programs that are capable of maintaining a conversation with a user in natural language, understanding their intent, and replying based on preset rules and data. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatbot )
A search engine is a software system designed to carry out web searches. They search the World Wide Web in a systematic way for particular information specified in a textual web search query. The search results are generally presented in a line of results, often referred to as search engine results pages (SERPs). (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_engine )
Hi, I am Prakhar, and first, let’s understand the difference in simple terms.
The chatbot does the conversation and gives you the answers based on its training while a search engine will share with you all the websites and pages available on the internet based on the query you have.
Will chatbots replace search engines?
After the launch of ChatGPT and because of its growing popularity many people are asking the question – will ChatGPT replace Google?
For me, the answer is NO. ChatGPT is a different form of information delivery system than Google. ChatGPT is text-based while search engines can give you links to images, videos, texts, etc. The same goes for the voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant.
Right now ChatGPT is learning from the information present on the web and giving the best possible answers to a question. Yes, it is writing the code for us but it does not give us the pool of information sources that Google gives. Sometimes it is better to get the information dump and do our own research.
Research papers vs Books analogy
Here we can take the example of research papers, Google is acting like the library of research papers and when we need it gives us all the papers on a specific subject. Here we can dig deep and create our own theory.
But ChatGPT is acting like a book on a topic, it has read all the research and presented us the findings in its own style, and created the answers based on its own research. There are chances of bias in the answers. Although right now it is not giving its own opinion and seems unbiased, it may become biased.
How we can take advantage of both?
If you want to have quick answers on any subject matter then you can ask ChatGPT and learn the basics from it. After learning the basics from the ChatGPT you can start doing your own research on Google and dig deep into the topic for more research.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are multiple information delivery systems nowadays. And there will be more in the upcoming days, and each of them has its own advantages. Right now we can start with ChatGPT, and ask some questions to get some information on any subject matter. Then move to Google or Bing, which will lead you to multiple websites for in-depth research.
Have used ChatGPT and what are you using it for?
