In today’s world, where information is power, we rely on various sources to find what we need. However, when it comes to academics and other fields, searching for reliable information can be a challenge. While chatbots like ChatGPT have gained popularity in recent times, they may not be the best option for everyone. In this article, we will explore why search engines are preferred over chatbots for information seeking, especially in academic settings.
The Importance of Authority and Source
When searching for information, one of the first things we look at is who wrote it and who published it. This is crucial because we want to know the authority behind the information we find. In academics, this is particularly important as we need to trace claims and assertions back to their sources. Even when searching for other topics like current events or consumer products, knowing the author and source of the information helps us evaluate its credibility.
The Value of Original Sources
While chatbots can produce interesting information, they are less valuable than their original sources. As an academic, I need to know who wrote the paper, report, news story, or other intellectual synthesis, and where it was published. This is because I want to rely on reliable sources when preparing lectures, papers, and other intellectual works. The history of biomedical and health informatics is also littered with applications that had great hype but never achieved the revolutionary use expected.
The Power of Search Engines
Search engines have been around for a long time and are more powerful than chatbots when it comes to searching. They can help us find what we need quickly and efficiently, especially in academic settings. While LLM systems (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT are becoming more powerful and trained for searching use cases, they still have a long way to go before they can replace search engines entirely.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while chatbots may be useful in some situations, when it comes to academic searching, search engines remain the preferred option. We need to know who wrote the information we find and where it was published to evaluate its credibility. Search engines have been around for a long time and are more powerful than chatbots when it comes to searching, especially in academic settings. While LLM systems like ChatGPT may become more powerful in the future, they still have a long way to go before they can replace search engines entirely.
