Perplexity AI also offers real-time monitoring of stock prices, news developments and more. (Image: Perplexity)
With the abundance of information, a search engine has become a necessity. Although Google is the numero uno search engine, bringing information to the finger tips of billions, users are spoilt for choice today. The world has moved on from search result pages cluttered with countless ads, URLs, and unnecessary information. However, Google too has AI overviews in place to summarise search results and make searching for information seamless.
Users of 2025 prefer a tailored experience, with search engines solely working for their intended purpose. AI coming to search has also shifted user preferences, conversational search engines like Perplexity AI are changing the way users seek information. Here’s five ways you can make the most of Perplexity AI.
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While searching via Google may require multiple clicks and several pages, with Perplexity AI the user gets a direct summarised answer. As of now Perplexity AI comes with six focus modes – web, writing, academic, video, math and social. For instance, if you opt for video and try a search like – ‘reviving wet smartphone’, the search engine will show sources in small blocks on top with answers underneath it. On the right, a panel shows the most relevant videos for the search input. In simple words, when you input a query, Perplexity does the research for you and gives a direct summarised answer, unlike other search engines that only display links. Moreover, the AI-powered search engine scours the entire web for news and trending topics; for research-backed answers, it searches academic sources; and it crawls social media platforms for trending opinions.
This is limited to the Pro version, however, it is a handy tool. Collections are greatly helpful if you are working on a presentation, planning a trip, or preparing for an interview. It allows the user to save searches into custom collections, essentially it simplifies your search. For example, a travel influencer can create a collection named ‘Travel Plan’ and use it to do all searches related to trending destinations and things to do there. Perplexity remembers user preferences, so one need not repeat themselves over and over.
Accurate and source-backed
Perhaps, the most standout feature of Perplexity AI is that it offers sources of the information it shows as responses to prompts. It is the only AI search engine that excels in providing accurate, source-backed answers which is ideal for academic and data-driven research. The search engine offers responses instantly and does not overwhelm users with numerous links. The one area where it falls short is writing, brainstorming or even design. However, for anyone who wishes AI to manage creative tasks, ChatGPT could be an option.
Real-time monitoring
Perplexity AI can fetch real-time stock quotes. This is seen as a lifesaver for many as it eliminates the need to switch between different apps or websites to check the latest stocks. All of it is right in front of you. Besides, it is a great way to stay updated on elections, sports scores, weather conditions, or any developing story. It not only tracks real-time events, but also delivers the latest updates and timelines. For shoppers, Perplexity AI can compare product prices across platforms, help them find the best deals. It is also a great tool for self-learners as it offers a personalised learning experience. It lets you explore concepts and ask follow up questions allowing you to dive deeper into specific topics.
Perplexity AI now comes with fast reasoning that too for free. It allows users to get deeper insights, more articulate responses. DeepSeek-R1, the latest reasoning model from Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek, is now available across all Perplexity platforms. Users can experience it by turning on Pro search with R1 on mobile, web, and MacOS. The company has also dispelled privacy fears by claiming that the model is hosted on servers based in the US and Europe, meaning no data is shared with China. Besides, Perplexity AI has eliminated all censorship on responses.
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