If you’ve used a search engine lately, you have noticed things feel different. Where once a straightforward keyword search would pull up a list of links to explore, today’s search experience has become… complicated. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI, has taken center stage, reshaping how search works. Is this the future of information access, or has AI overstepped, leaving us with search results that are hit-or-miss at best? The Atlantic brought this interesting subject and consideration to our attention in their article, “The Death of Search.”

Search engines were initially designed to be simple: enter a few keywords, and get a list of the most relevant links. But as the web grew and users demanded more, AI started to play a bigger role, enabling better understanding of language, context and even intent. Today, search is more than just retrieving links—it’s about interpreting questions, delivering answers and predicting what users really want.

The downside of that with AI algorithms driving search, users sometimes feel like they’re being served an answer instead of having the chance to explore ideas.

AI in search is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s helping us get answers faster, making information more accessible for casual inquiries and daily needs. On the other, it’s potentially limiting our ability to dive deep, think critically, and explore the web with the curiosity that search engines once inspired.

In the end, it’s about balance. Search engines must find a way to harness the power of AI without compromising the openness and transparency that made them indispensable in the first place.

Data Harmony is a fully customizable suite of software products designed to maximize precise and efficient information management and retrieval. Our suite includes tools for taxonomy and thesaurus construction, machine aided indexing, database management, information retrieval, and explainable AI.

Melody K. Smith

Data Harmony is an award-winning semantic suite that leverages explainable AI.

Sponsored by Access Innovations, the intelligence and the technology behind world-class explainable AI solutions.