Perplexity AI is a conversational AI search engine, meaning it's designed to answer questions directly and provide sources for its information, rather than just presenting a list of links. Think of it as a research assistant that summarizes information and shows you where it got that information.

Here's a breakdown:

• Conversational: You can ask it follow-up questions and refine your search query based on its responses. It remembers the context of your conversation.

• Search Engine: It searches the internet for information, like Google or Bing. However, the output is different.

• Direct Answers: Instead of providing a list of search results, it provides a concise answer to your question.

• Sources: Crucially, Perplexity AI cites the sources it used to generate its answer. This allows you to verify the information and explore the sources further.

Examples:

• Instead of Googling "best way to clean a cast iron skillet," you could ask Perplexity AI: "What is the best method for cleaning a cast iron skillet?" Perplexity AI would provide a summary of the recommended cleaning process and then list the websites or articles it used to compile that answer.

• After getting that initial answer, you might follow up with: "Is using soap bad for cast iron?" Perplexity AI would then provide an answer specifically addressing soap's effects on cast iron, again with relevant citations.

In short, Perplexity AI aims to be a more efficient and transparent way to find information online by summarizing answers and providing its sources, all within a conversational format.