Perplexity.ai
Perplexity AI is a powerful, AI-powered search and answer engine — think of it as a cross between Google and ChatGPT, but with a strong focus on real-time information and citation-based answers. We will be using this as one of the main tools to build our app. We will need to pay to use this tool, but you can put in as little as $3.
🧠 What Perplexity AI Actually Is
| Feature | What It Does |
|---|---|
| ✅ AI-powered search assistant | You ask a question, it gives you a concise answer using AI + real-time search |
| ✅ Cites sources | Every answer includes links to where it got the info — Wikipedia, blogs, news, research papers |
| ✅ Conversational interface | You can refine your query like in a chat — ask follow-ups, drill deeper |
| ✅ Uses real web data | Unlike ChatGPT (which is trained on past data), Perplexity pulls from the live web |
| ✅ Free to use (with optional Pro tier) | The base version is open to everyone — no signup needed |
📚 Example Use Case vs. ChatGPT
| Task | Perplexity | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|
| “What are the latest developments in AI regulation in 2024?” | ✅ Gives real-time, source-backed news | ❌ Only knows up to training cut-off |
| “What are the pros/cons of taking berberine?” | ✅ Pulls scientific sources + wellness blogs | ✅ Also good, but no live citations |
| “What’s the fastest-growing YouTube niche right now?” | ✅ Gives trending topics from live data | ❌ Based on older trends unless you upload data |
🎯 Who Should Use Perplexity?
- Researchers
- Content creators
- Students
- Technical writers
- Product creators (like you!)
You can use it to:
- Verify your facts when writing guides
- Check for updates on platforms like KDP, Etsy, or Gumroad
- Quickly find data-backed insights to include in your product PDFs
