Web search with AI - Perplexity, You.com, Gemini & ChatGPT

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In the previous article, we explained basic terms and concepts relating to artificial intelligence. This lays the foundation – now we start with the first comparison article in the series.

This article is about AI tools that can directly access current web content – an area that is particularly relevant for everyday information searches and quick searches.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to search for and process information – a task traditionally performed by search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo or Ecosia. Modern AI tools offer new possibilities here: Instead of just providing links, they summarize content, answer open questions and intelligently link relevant information.

In this section, we specifically compare AI tools with a direct internet connection – i.e. applications that have been developed to access current web content on request. These include Perplexity AI, You.com, Gemini (Google) and, more recently, ChatGPT, which enables web searches to be activated on demand. It is worth taking a closer look at these tools precisely because web searches are often the first step in processing private or professional tasks – from quick fact checks to extensive research. In many areas, they could be a real alternative or supplement to classic Google searches.

For a quick overview, use our comparison table below with all AI tools for search queries. If you want more information, take a look at the detailed breakdown of important information for the individual AIs below.

Perplexity AI

Suitable for users who need precise answers with sources.

very fast, fact-oriented answers with references and advanced search functions

partially generic/superficial answers, limited depth in the free version

You.com

Suitable for users who want to flexibly combine search and AI chat.

combination of web search and AI chat, customization to user preferences possible

answers sometimes less structured, interface sometimes seems overloaded

Gemini (Google)

Suitable for users who want to combine research and dialog style.

deep Google integration, natural dialogs, long answers are possible

full Internet use only with premium access, partly generalized answers

ChatGPT (Suche)

Suitable for users seeking extensive infos with in-context replies.

natural dialogues, access to current web information & additional functions

limited use in free version; possible delays with large requests

Provider (year of release): Perplexity AI Inc (2022)
Free to use: Yes, basic functions
Account required: No, for basic functions; optional for advanced features
Premium access: Perplexity Pro (20 $/month) with access to more powerful models (GPT-4, Claude 3) and extended search options
AI models used: Mixture of own retrieval systems and large language models (e.g., GPT-4, Claude 3)

What is Perplexity AI suitable for?

Perplexity AI is for users who need precise answers with sources quickly – such as students, journalists, analysts or knowledge workers. Perplexity AI has a direct internet connection and performs every search on the internet in real time – it automatically integrates the latest available information into the answers.

Response style features

very fact-oriented and source-based
answers resemble a mixture of scientific summary and search engine results
less dialogic than classic chatbots like ChatGPT

Note on use

Users can enter keywords (similar to a classic search engine) as well as formulate specific questions.
Concrete, complete questions usually lead to better and more precise answers than mere keyword queries.
Example
- instead of best travel destinations europe
- better ask: What are the best destinations in Europe for a city trip in the fall?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Perplexity AI summarized

direct access to current Internet information (constant real-time search) provides structured answers with clearly identified sources very quick response style – even for complex questions switch between different models (Pro version) possible	partially duplicate sources or general links without in-depth evaluation in free version limited to smaller models sometimes superficial answers to very complex queries

Provider (year of release): You.com, Inc (2021)
Free to use: Yes, basic functions
Account required: Currently, yes – previously no account was required
Premium access: Yes, Pro (ab 15 $/Monat) and Team and Enterprise with access to more powerful AI models (GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet), faster responses and unlimited searches, plus other benefits
AI models used: Combination of our own retrieval system, GPT-4.1 / GPT-4o (OpenAI), Claude 3.5 Sonnet and many other models for search and chat

What is You.com suitable for?

You.com is ideal for users who want to combine a classic web search with AI-supported summarization – ideal for pupils, students, everyday users or research tasks. The AI tool has direct internet access and searches the web in real time for every query and processes current results dynamically.

Response style features

mixture of classic search result list and AI-generated answer
option to switch flexibly between chat-based dialog and link overviews
answers vary more depending on the selected mode (web, chat, apps)

Note on use

keywords or questions possible
keywords lead to classic search results
complete questions activate the AI chat mode, which summarizes and answers directly
Example
- at best coffee machine 2024 You.com shows links
- at Which coffee machine is the test winner in 2024? there will be an AI summary

Advantages and Disadvantages of You.com summarized

combines search engine function with AI chat in one platform answers integrate web search results and AI-generated summaries enables direct selection between web search, chat mode or specialized apps (e.g. code search, news search) strong customization options (e.g. focus on specific sources)	answers sometimes seem less structured than with Perplexity sources are not always directly traceable interface seems overloaded in places for new users

Provider (year of release): Google DeepMind (2023 (successor to Bard))
Free to use: Yes, basic version (with access to Gemini 1.5 Flash)
Account required: Yes, Google account required
Premium access: Google AI Pro (€21.99/month) with access to the more powerful Gemini 2.5 Pro model, Deep Research on 2.5 Pro and more 2 TB storage space (instead of just 15 GB in the free Gemini version)
AI models used: Gemini 2.5 Flash (free) and Gemini 2.5 Pro (Google AI Pro); multimodal (text, image, audio, video); integrated web search

What is Gemini suitable for?

Gemini is ideal for users who want to carry out in-depth research with an up-to-date Google information connection – from general questions to complex topic research. The AI can access current Google search results and integrate them into the answer.

Response style features

very human, fluid dialog style – similar to a real conversation
strong summary of complex issues
clearly “Google-heavy” weighting of information (focus on common sources)

Note on use

both keywords and open questions possible
precise questions for particularly good research results
Example
- Inventions 2023 ⇢ provides general lists
- Which important inventions were published in 2023? ⇢ generates structured summaries

Advantages and Disadvantages of Gemini summarized

close link with Google search: up-to-date information possible strong focus on multimodal processing (text, image, audio) very natural, dialog-oriented answers access to long contexts and extensive answers possible	direct internet connection only fully available in Pro mode sometimes slower with long answers answers sometimes strongly ‘generalized’, less concrete sources than perplexity

Provider (year of release): OpenAI (2022)
Free to use: Yes, even without registration
Account required: No; with an account, chat histories can be saved and other settings can be changed
Premium access: Yes, ChatGPT Plus (20 $/month) with access to GPT-4; other price plans available (Pro, Team, Enterprise)
AI models used: GPT-3.5 (free of charge), GPT-4 (Plus)

What is ChatGPT suitable for?

ChatGPT is perfect for users who are looking for a combination of natural dialog and up-to-date web research, e.g. for general information searches, creative tasks or complex questions. This makes it possible not only to draw on existing knowledge, but also to integrate new, up-to-date information into the answers.

Response style features

combines the strengths of a conversational AI model with the ability to obtain up-to-date information from the Internet
makes it possible not only to draw on existing knowledge, but also to integrate new, up-to-date information into the answers

Note on use

activate web search (globe symbol) and ask a question
integration of web content can distract from the actual flow of the conversation (note: response style in search mode is noticeably different)

Advantages and Disadvantages of ChatGPT (with web search) summarized

natural dialog style: enables contextual conversations with the AI up-to-date information: web search can also be used to deal with current topics versatility: suitable for a wide range of tasks, from simple questions to complex analyses	possible inaccuracies: as with other AI models, inaccurate or outdated information may occasionally occur limited functions without an account: no chat histories can be saved or personalized settings made without registration limited access: some functions are not available in the free version

The four AI tools presented – Perplexity AI, You.com, Gemini (Google) and ChatGPT offer intelligent alternatives to traditional web searches. While Perplexity scores with structured source information, You.com impresses with its flexible combination of search engine and AI chat. Gemini offers a particularly natural dialog style with a strong Google connection, and ChatGPT combines versatile voice capabilities with up-to-date web search – now even without an account.

Anyone looking for quick, fact-based answers is well advised to use Perplexity. Gemini or ChatGPT are recommended for dialog-oriented research. You.com is suitable for users who want to combine search results and AI answers in a targeted manner.

In the next step, we will look at AI tools for text generation – from brainstorming and writing emails to support with editorial tasks. Other areas such as image, video, and voice AI will also be examined in detail in the following articles.