"The Future of Search Engines: Generative AI and Digital Highlighters"

Hatched by Kazuki
Jul 27, 2023
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"The Future of Search Engines: Generative AI and Digital Highlighters"
In today's digital age, we heavily rely on search engines to find information quickly and efficiently. However, the way search engines work has remained relatively stagnant since the late 1990s. It's not because it's the best way to search, but rather because it was the best technology available at the time. We are stuck in a paradigm that may no longer be the most effective approach.
The content we consume has evolved significantly over the years. We now have social networks, data streams, video content platforms, ecommerce websites, authoritative knowledge sources, and various apps. Traditional search engines, which rely on searching a big database, may not be the most suitable solution anymore.
Instead, imagine a search engine powered by Generative AI. Rather than searching for information in a database, this new approach would use the database as training data for a neural network. The trained models generated by this AI technology are incredibly small compared to the vast amount of training data available. For example, Stable Diffusion is only around 2 gigabytes, while the training data is a whopping 100 terabytes.
With Generative AI search engines, the user experience would be completely different. Instead of sifting through search results and battling with pop-ups, ads, and scams, users would be able to generate the exact answer they are looking for. This would revolutionize the way we consume information online and could potentially disrupt the distribution monopoly and advertising business of current incumbents.
One interesting aspect to consider is the impact on the advertising industry. In a world where Generative AI search engines dominate, the traditional ads business model would need to adapt. As training a model is currently expensive, running it is not. The marginal cost of a search may be negligible, but maintaining the infrastructure to support the AI technology is not. It's intriguing to think about how advertising would evolve in this new landscape.
Now, let's shift our focus to another aspect of digital reading - digital highlighters. When we read for learning or writing purposes, it's often helpful to mark key passages. These highlighted sections serve as a personalized summary of what we've read and can be incredibly useful for future writing, review, and referencing.
However, the process of highlighting can be cumbersome, especially when we have to toggle between apps and copy/paste the passages. This disrupts the reading experience and becomes even more challenging on smaller screens or slower devices like phones or tablets.
To address this issue, digital highlighters should prioritize the fewest actions possible. The reading experience should be the primary focus, with minimal distractions. We should be able to highlight seamlessly without interrupting our flow of reading.
Furthermore, it's essential for these digital highlights to be portable. Having to copy/paste every time we make a highlight is time-consuming and redundant. Ideally, our highlights should be easily transferable into plain text files that can be used for other notes or purposes. Additionally, it's crucial for these highlights to include a link back to the original source, allowing us to refer back to the full context whenever needed.
Moreover, digital highlighters should be accessible across various devices and operating systems. Whether we are reading on Windows, Linux, or Android systems, on desktops, phones, or tablets, we should be able to capture highlights effortlessly. It's frustrating when exported highlights only link to a copy of the source rather than the original text. Text fragment linking would be a more preferable solution, enabling us to view the highlights alongside the actual text.
In conclusion, the future of search engines lies in Generative AI, and the evolution of digital highlighters is essential for an enhanced reading experience. As technology continues to advance, it's crucial for us to adapt and embrace new approaches that better align with our changing content consumption habits.
Actionable Advice:
- 1. Stay updated on advancements in Generative AI technology and its potential impact on search engines. Explore how this shift could potentially change the way we access information online and consider the implications for businesses and advertisers.
- 2. Experiment with different digital highlighter tools and apps to find one that aligns with your reading preferences and workflow. Look for options that offer seamless integration across devices and platforms, along with the ability to export highlights in a portable format.
- 3. Keep an eye on emerging trends in digital reading and note-taking. Stay informed about new features and functionalities that can enhance your reading experience, such as text fragment linking, and incorporate them into your digital reading routine.
By embracing these advancements and making use of innovative tools, we can navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape more effectively and optimize our online reading and information-seeking experiences.
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