Research and AI search
AI that searches the web or documents and writes answers with sources you can check.
What is it?
AI search tools combine a search engine with a language model. Instead of a list of links, you get a written answer that summarises several sources, usually with citations. Some tools run many searches in a row and write a longer report, often called deep research.
This saves time when exploring a new topic, but it does not make the answer automatically true. The AI can misread a source, mix up details, or cite a page that does not say what the summary claims. Treat the answer as a map: open the cited sources and check the important points yourself.
Which models use it?
- Perplexity is an AI search engine that answers with citations.
- Google Search includes AI-generated overviews for some queries.
- ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can search the web and some offer deep research features.
- Microsoft Copilot combines Bing search with AI answers.
How to use it
- Ask a clear, specific question and say what kind of sources you trust.
- Ask for citations for every important claim.
- Open and read the key sources, especially for numbers, quotes and dates.
- Ask the tool what is uncertain or where sources disagree.
- Cross-check important findings with a second, independent source.
Benefits
- Quick overview of a new topic with links to explore.
- Summarises many sources in one place.
- Good for finding starting points, terms and key debates.
Limits and risks
- Summaries can misquote or misrepresent sources.
- May rely on low-quality, outdated or biased pages.
- Can miss important sources entirely.
- Not a replacement for expert advice on health, legal or financial matters.
Prompt template
Copy it, replace the parts in [brackets] and paste it into any AI chat.
Research this question: [your question]. Context: [why you need it and how you will use it]. Prefer sources such as [official sites / peer-reviewed research / reputable news]. 1. Give a short answer first. 2. Then list the key points, each with a source link. 3. Note where sources disagree or evidence is weak. 4. List what I should verify myself before relying on this.
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