What Is Perplexity AI and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

What is Perplexity AI? Well, one thing is for sure…navigating the vast seas of AI tools can be both thrilling and complex. There are thousands of AI tools, and Perplexity AI is just one of them.

If you’ve found yourself entangled in the web of terms and innovations, you’re not alone. Here at Run The Prompts, we untangle you, and then we hand you a beer. Drink it in.

At its core, Perplexity AI is like a supercharged chatbot. It’s like a high-performance search engine, dishing out real-time information and, importantly, revealing the sources from where it dredged up that knowledge.

That’s the biggest difference it has when compared to ChatGPT. ChatGPT does not provide sources by default and Perplexity does. Check out our full ChatGPT vs. Perplexity guide to learn all about the differences between the two tools.

What is Perplexity AI’s Main Differentiating Factor?

You might ask, “What really sets Perplexity apart from other search engines?” That’s a fair question.

Unlike the established giants of the search engine world like Google and Bing (well…actually, just Google), Perplexity AI has carved out a niche for itself.

We already mentioned it if you were paying attention. That niche is accommodating online searches that need sources. Traditional search engines typically leave you hopping between pages, but Perplexity AI streamlines the info right to you. Aren’t large language models fun?

So, it’s kind of like shopping at Walmart to get everything you need instead of driving around town and shuffling frantically through five different dumb stores. The best part is you don’t have to get pulled over by police officers from the People of Walmart.

And you can eat your long yellow things as you type (also found on the People of Walmart’s site).

What Else Makes Perplexity Special?

Perplexity has a lot going for it. Here are the main points: It’s free to use, can be used anonymously, connects directly to the internet for real-time information, cites its sources, provides a “Discovery” tab to find new exciting prompts, and has its own free mobile app. How’s that for special?

Does Perplexity AI Use ChatGPT to Work?

Yes, it does. Perplexity currently uses the GPT-3 large language model (LLM) to operate. Perplexity is not the same thing as ChatGPT, but there are certainly similarities. One such similarity is the model. Guess how I know this? You guessed it…I searched for it on Perplexity. Here at Run The Prompts, we eat our own dog food.

Some Examples of Perplexity Use Cases

FAQs Resolved: Have burning questions? Perplexity AI offers crisp answers.
Detailed Instructions: Whether it’s a tutorial or an assembly guide for cheap furniture to put in your trailer, it delivers.
Operational Hours: Need to know all of the coffee shops in your town that are open late? It’s on it, typically using Yelp as its source.
Plan Dates or Events: Plan that perfect date to a fancy restaurant like Denny’s, or plan your next fun event with friends.
Easy & Fast Research at Work: This example isn’t as fun…but neither is work.

The icing on the cake? This remarkable tool is accessible for free on their official website. A simple visit, a typed-out query, and you’re presented with concise answers. With its curated sources, you can trust the information you’re getting. As long as you trust the sources.

Wrapping it up

To sum it up, the accolades Perplexity AI has received for its precise and well-sourced responses are well-earned. If ever there were an AI tool positioned at the cutting edge of information delivery, this would be it. Let it be your new research buddy.

Now that you know what it is, you’ve probably tried it for yourself. How do you like Perplexity? Let me know in the comments section below. Prompt the planet!