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Perplexity has change into my main instrument for search. I depend on it for concise summaries of advanced subjects. I like the way in which it synthesizes info and gives dependable citations for me to discover additional.
I favor Perplexity’s well-organized responses to Google’s laundry record of hyperlinks, although I nonetheless use Google to search out particular websites & addresses and for different “micro-searches.”
Perplexity’s not excellent. I’ve hardly ever seen it hallucinate, however it will possibly choose doubtful sources or misread your query. As with every instrument that makes use of AI, the wording of your question impacts your outcome. Write detailed queries and specify most well-liked sources when you’ll be able to. Double-check essential information or details.
Google’s new AI Mode is a powerful new competitor, and ChatGPT, Claude and others now supply AI-powered search, however I nonetheless depend on Perplexity for causes detailed beneath. This put up updates my earlier put up with new options, examples, and ideas.
My favourite new options
- Labs. Create slides, experiences, dashboards, and Net apps by writing an in depth question and specifying the format of the outcomes you need. Try the Project Gallery for 20 examples.
- Voice Mode. I ask historic questions on books, curiosities about nature and science, and issues I ought to already learn about films & music. The transcript exhibits up afterwards.
- Templates for Spaces. A big new assortment of templates makes it simpler to get began with customized directions for varied sorts of analysis, for gross sales/advertising and marketing, schooling, finance, or different topics.
- Transcription. Add & transcribe information as much as 25mb. Ask for insights & concepts.
- Topical touchdown pages for finance, travel, shopping, and academics present helpful examples and new sensible methods to make use of Perplexity.
When to make use of Perplexity
- Rise up to hurry on a subject: Must analysis North Korea-China relations? Ask Perplexity for a abstract and sources. See the result.
- Analysis hyper-specific info: Ask for an inventory of organizations that crowdsource information about pure disasters. See the result.
- Discover private curiosities: I used to be interested by Mozart’s growth as a violinist, so I requested for key dates and particulars. See the result.
The perfect issues about Perplexity
- Sources. Perplexity gives hyperlinks to its sources, so you’ll be able to follow-up on something you wish to be taught extra about. Tip: specify sources to prioritize.
- Summaries. As a substitute of lengthy articles or lists of hyperlinks, get straight-to-the-point solutions that save time. Tip: specify once you desire a abstract desk.
- Observe-ups. Ask follow-up inquiries to dive deeper into a subject, similar to a dialog. For visible subjects, Perplexity can floor related photographs and movies. Tip: customise your personal follow-up question if defaults aren’t related.
- Deep Research. Get fuller outcomes for queries the place you want extra information. Tip: Use Claude or ChatGPT that will help you draft clearer, extra thorough search prompts.
- Spaces. Group associated searches into collections in order that they’re straightforward to return to later. I created one for Atlanta earlier than a visit. You may preserve a set personal, invite others to edit it, or share a public hyperlink. Tip: create a workforce area.
- Pages. Share search outcomes by creating public pages you’ll be able to customise. Watch a 1-minute video demo. Examples: Beginners Guide to Drumming, a Barcelona itinerary, and forest hotels in Sweden.
- Labs. This model new characteristic is supposed for producing interactives, information tables, and visuals. Outcomes range broadly in my testing.
Use Perplexity Extra Successfully
- You should use Perplexity on the Web, Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.
- Begin with Perplexity’s own introductory guide, examine the how it works FAQ, then use the Get Started template to make use of Perplexity itself to be taught extra.
- Write detailed queries Embrace two or extra sentences specifying what you’re in search of and why. Your outcome will likely be higher than should you simply use key phrases.
- Refine your settings Specify a number of most well-liked supply varieties: Net, educational sources, social (i.e. Reddit), or monetary (SEC filings).
- Choose your mannequin. Superior customers can specify the AI taste Perplexity makes use of. I’d suggest sustaining Perplexity’s default or the o3 possibility for analysis that requires advanced reasoning. You may as well use Grok, Gemini or Claude.
- Specify domains to go looking. Point out particular domains or sorts of web sites you’re considering for extra focused outcomes. Use a website limiter to slender your search to a selected website or area sort, e.g. “area:.gov” to focus solely on authorities websites. Or simply use pure language to restrict Perplexity to sure sorts of web sites, as on this example scouring CUNY websites for AI insurance policies.
- Personalize your account. Add a quick abstract of your pursuits, focus areas, and data preferences in your profile to customise the way in which Perplexity gives you with solutions.
- Fast searches are advantageous once you’re simply in search of a easy truth, like when was CUNY founded. Professional searches are greatest for extra intricate, multi-part queries. On the free plan you get 3 professional searches a day.
Examples: Perplexity in motion
- Test public opinion: “Is there a Pew survey about discovering information by means of social media platforms?” See the result.
- Discover historic archives: “Checklist literacy and teaching programs in high-growth African nations within the final decade.” See the result.
- Uncover patterns: “Examine residential lease to residential actual property traits in California.” See the results.
Pricing
- Free for limitless fast searches, 3 professional searches and three file uploads per day.
- $20/month for limitless file and picture uploads for evaluation; entry to Labs; and 10x as many citations. See the 2025 feature comparison.
Privateness
To guard your privateness when utilizing Perplexity, capitalize on the next:
- Flip “information retention” off in your settings. (Screenshot).
- Activate the Incognito setting should you’re signed in to anonymize a search.
- Search in an incognito browser tab with out logging into Perplexity.
Bonus options
- The free Chrome Extension allows you to summon a Perplexity search from any web page. The “summarize” button hasn’t all the time labored for me.
- The Perplexity Encyclopedia has a set of instrument comparisons
- An experimental beta Tasks characteristic allows you to schedule custom-made searches
- Hearken to an AI audio chat about Perplexity I generated w/ NotebookLM.
Caveats
- Accuracy and confabulation: Whereas Perplexity makes use of retrieval augmented era to scale back errors, it’s not flawless. Test the sources it references.
- Doc evaluation limitations: The file measurement restrict for uploads is 25MB. Covert bigger information to textual content or use Adobe’s free compressor or SmallPDF.
- Deep Research, although quick, shouldn’t be practically as thorough as what’s supplied by ChatGPT’s Deep Analysis or Gemini’s.
Options to Perplexity
- Google AI Mode: Google’s much-improved new AI search possibility gives abstract responses like Perplexity. Right here’s an instance of a comparison table it created for me and its tackle 10 Perplexity features. Strive it in labs. Free.
- Consensus: Excellent for educational queries. Search 200 million peer-reviewed analysis papers and get a abstract and hyperlinks to publications. Helpful for scientific or different analysis questions, e.g. active vs. passive learning or how cash transfers impact poverty. Pricing: Free for limitless searches and restricted premium use; $9/month billed yearly for full AI capabilities.
- ChatGPT Web Search. Activate the “Search the Net” possibility beneath the instruments menu when utilizing ChatGPT to allow Net looking. Search chats embrace inline hyperlinks with sources. For instance, right here’s a ChatGPT Net search question about Perplexity vs. other AI search tools. It features a useful ChatGPT-generated chart. As differentiators I like Perplexity’s summaries, recommended follow-up queries, Labs, and the helpful Voice Mode for fast questions.
This text is republished with permission from Surprise Instruments, a e-newsletter that helps you uncover essentially the most helpful websites and apps. Subscribe here.
