Image Credit: Image generated by Artificial Intelligence (Gemini)
Introduction
Perplexity AI is a very interesting platform in today’s artificial intelligence landscape because it combines the best of two worlds: the experience of a search engine like Google with the fluidity of a conversational assistant like ChatGPT — but with one important difference: a strong focus on sources and verifiability.
In this article, you will understand what Perplexity is, how it works, its main strengths, its limitations, and when it makes the most sense to use it.
What is Perplexity AI?
Perplexity AI is an artificial intelligence tool designed to answer questions in a conversational way, based on information retrieved from the internet in real time.
Its main distinguishing feature is that it provides answers accompanied by sources, allowing users to verify where the data comes from — something essential for students, journalists, researchers, and content creators.
In practice, it works like a Google search engine enhanced with AI, capable of interpreting questions in natural language and delivering concise, well-organized, and contextualized answers.
Origin of Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI was founded in San Francisco, California (USA), at the heart of the Silicon Valley technology ecosystem. The company was created with the goal of reinventing the way people search for information on the internet, using advanced language models combined with real-time web search.
Its development is directly connected to Silicon Valley’s innovation environment, where many of the world’s leading AI startups and inspirations are born.
3 Key Highlights of Perplexity AI
AI-powered real-time search – Unlike closed AI systems, Perplexity is connected to the web, delivering up-to-date information with sources.
Transparency in answers – Every response includes references, increasing its reliability.
Speed and objectivity – The AI is designed for productivity, avoiding long and impractical answers. A very strong positive point.
Main Features
1. Answers with sources
When you ask a question, Perplexity not only responds but also provides links and references to the websites used. This significantly increases the reliability of the information.
2. Natural language search
You don’t need to type isolated keywords. Simply write your question as if you were talking to a person, for example:
What are the AI trends in logistics?
How does Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) work?
The AI understands the context and generates answers that are closer to what you really want to know.
3. Research modes
Perplexity offers different modes depending on the user’s goal, such as:
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General research
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Academic research
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Programming
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Writing
This helps adapt the depth and format of the responses.
4. Document and link analysis
It allows you to upload:
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PDFs
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Articles
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Links
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Long texts
And request summaries, analyses, or comparisons.
5. Minimalist and fast interface
The platform has a clean, straightforward design, focused on productivity and speed of information.
Strengths of Perplexity AI
✔ Strong for research and learning
✔ Transparent sources
✔ Ideal for technical and academic articles
✔ Great for validating information
✔ Excellent for content creation with solid references
Limitations
Despite its strengths, it also has some limitations:
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Less suitable for creative writing and storytelling
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The free version has limitations (and, to be fair, most free tools do)
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Less “human-like” for long conversations, which is understandable since that is not its main purpose
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Some answers may depend on the quality of the available sources, which is also aligned with its core mission, in my opinion
When should you use Perplexity AI?
Perplexity is especially recommended for:
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Academic research
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Fact-checking
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Writing technical articles and reports
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Studying complex topics
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Building content with references
ChatGPT, on the other hand, stands out more for:
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Creative writing
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Conversation simulations
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Scriptwriting
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Brainstorming
In other words, the two tools complement each other very well — and I find that incredible.
Conclusion
Perplexity AI doesn’t try to be just another chatbot. It positions itself as a new type of search engine: smarter, more direct, and more reliable.
For those who work with technology, content creation, research, or education, it’s a tool truly worth exploring.
If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s worth the experience: it may change the way you search for and validate information on the internet.
#Perplexity #AI
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