AI Search Engine Compared: OpenAI vs. Perplexity AI
Search engines have been a go-to source for finding information, but AI has made them smarter and more helpful.
Instead of just showing a list of links, AI-powered search tools now give answers that feel more personal and detailed. They can handle natural language questions better, allowing them to understand what you mean and deliver results that match what you’re really looking for.
In this article, we’ll compare how OpenAI with its ChatGPT Search and Perplexity AI handle different types of searches: navigational, informational, transactional, local, and news and real-time.
Pre-requisites
Because OpenAI is not naturally a search engine, I recommend setting up OpenAI Search in your browser. Check out our article on How to Use ChatGPT Directly in Chrome and Arc Browser. This will allow you to use OpenAI Search directly in your browser, making it easier to access and use. Once you have that set up, we can get started.
1. Navigational Searches
Navigational searches are when you’re looking for a specific website or page. For example, you might search for “Facebook login” or “CNN homepage.” These searches are straightforward, and the best search engine will show the exact page you’re looking for at the top of the results. In this case, I searched for “Facebook login” on both OpenAI Search and Perplexity AI to see which one gives the best results.
ChatGPT
When I search for “Facebook login” on OpenAI Search, it appears to be more conversational and provides a brief summary of how to log in to the page from both the browser and the mobile version. It also provides a link to the Facebook login page, which is not quite what I expected. I was hoping for a direct link to the login page.
Perplexity AI
When I search for “Facebook login” on Perplexity AI, it provides a direct link to the Facebook login page at the very top, much like what you see on a traditional search engine like Google. It also provides a brief summary at the bottom, along with some related results like image and video options.
Result
Winner: Perplexity AI
I think Perplexity AI is better for navigational searches because it provides a direct link to the page I’m looking for at the top of the results. The brief summary is not quite necessary since I’m already familiar with the page I’m looking for.
2. Informational Searches
Informational searches are when you’re looking for information on a specific topic. For example, you might search for something common like “what is the capital of Indonesia” or a more complex query like “how to make doughnuts.” In this case, I tried “how to make doughnuts” to see which search engine provides the best results.
ChatGPT
When I searched for “how to make doughnuts” on OpenAI Search, it provided a recipe for making doughnuts, citing multiple sources. However, it lacked details on the exact measurements for ingredients. For example, how many tablespoons of sugar do I need?
Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI provided a more detailed recipe, including two options with exact measurements for ingredients and more comprehensive instructions. It also included a YouTube video tutorial, which was a nice touch.
Result
Winner: Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI is better for informational searches. It understands what I’m looking for and provides more detailed information on how to make doughnuts.
3. Transactional Searches
Transactional searches are when you’re looking to buy something or complete a transaction. For example, you might search for “buy iPhone 13”, “book a flight to Paris”, or “I want to upgrade my working desk. Help me find all I need to buy.” I tried the latter to see which engine performs better.
Result
Winner: Tie
Both ChatGPT and Perplexity AI provide similar results. They list items and offer summaries of what I might need to upgrade my working desk.
Perplexity AI recently announced a Pro Search feature that aims to enhance the buying experience, but it’s not widely available yet. For now, both are equally good.
4. Local Searches
Local searches are when you’re looking for businesses or services near you. For example, you might search for “Japanese restaurants near me”, “dentist in Singapore”, or “gas stations open now.” In this case, I tried “Japanese restaurants near me” to see which search engine gives the best results.
Local search relies on being able to identify your current location. It is recommended that you enable the browser Location permission from the Settings.
ChatGPT
When I searched for “Japanese restaurants near me” on OpenAI Search, it provided a list of Japanese restaurants that were not actually near me. For instance, it suggested restaurants in “San Jose”, even though I was nowhere near that area.
Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI initially showed similar results to OpenAI Search. It suggested restaurants near “New Delhi”, which was also incorrect. However, after enabling location permission in my browser, it accurately displayed Japanese restaurants near me. What’s even better is that it included brief details about the restaurants, such as whether they allow dine-in or take-out, the price range, and options like Halal food. It also showed related results, including a map and menu pictures, which was very helpful.
Result
Winner: Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI clearly wins this round with its accurate location-based results and additional helpful details.
5. News and Realtime Searches
News and real-time searches are when you’re looking for the latest information on a topic. For example, you might search for “Tesla stock price today”, “what’s the result of the election today”, or “what the weather will be like today.” In this case, I searched for “Tesla stock price today” to see which engine performs better.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT yields okay results. It shows the current price of Tesla stock, which seems accurate, along with a brief summary of how the company is performing in general.
Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI provides a more detailed result. It shows the current price of Tesla stock along with an interactive chart. The chart allows you to view the stock’s price at different times of the day, adding a layer of functionality that ChatGPT does not offer.
Result
Winner: Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI is better for news and real-time searches, thanks to its detailed results and interactive features.
Conclusion
Perplexity AI is the winner in 4 out of 5 categories that we explored here. It’s better for navigational, informational, local, and news and real-time searches. If the Pro Search feature becomes available to all users, it might also outperform in transactional searches.
With Google long dominating search, it’s fascinating to see how tools like Perplexity AI are raising the bar. OpenAI and Google will need to innovate further to keep up in this fast-changing space.