Perplexity, an AI-powered search startup, has made a significant move to improve its search results by displaying direct answers to factual queries such as weather, time, currency conversion, and simple math queries through visually appealing cards. This move is seen as an attempt to reduce the need for users to rely on other search engines like Google for such basic information. The new feature adds a touch of elegance with gradient and parallax effects, making the results more prominent and quick. This development comes at a time when Perplexity is facing criticism for its handling of original reporting and media articles, with some accusing the startup of not providing proper attribution to sources.
While Perplexity’s CEO Aravind Srinivas acknowledges that Google still handles basic queries better, the company is making strides in displaying direct results instead of fetching from other sources. The startup is also working with Tako, an AI search engine, to display information such as stock prices. However, the controversy surrounding Perplexity’s use of original reporting without proper attribution and credit remains a pressing concern. As the startup explores revenue-sharing deals with publications, it remains to be seen how it will address these concerns and ensure fair compensation for original content creators.
