🔍 ChatGPT vs. Perplexity vs. Google

Hey there,

For the first time in decades, Google Search feels... outdated. 

Now it’s possible to get AI-powered answers, instead of just links to information. 

But, while many are prematurely predicting the end of Google Search, something much more interesting is happening behind the scenes that reveals three crucial lessons about working in the AI age.

First, though, let's set the scene:

OpenAI just rolled out ChatGPT Search, a direct competitor to Google Search that’s conveniently embedded into the second fastest-growing consumer application in history. You can ask about market trends, and it'll pull fresh data while remembering your industry focus. You can follow up about competitors, and it’ll connect dots from your previous questions. By understanding the wider context, it might be the closest thing to an online AI research assistant.

Meanwhile, Perplexity has spent the last few years focused on a different approach. They combine multiple AI models to solve problems through multi-step reasoning. Need to analyze a company's financials? It'll break down the numbers, compare industry benchmarks, suggest questions you haven't even thought to ask, and connect its own insights with any relevant files you have, in the custom format of your choice.

On Friday, we delivered a live workshop to over 100 University members on how to use Perplexity’s new features. You can watch the replay here.

And if OpenAI and Perplexity feel too new to make a dent in Google’s core business, it’s worth paying attention to the latest news from tech giant, Meta. They're building something that could really change the game: a search engine powered by 4 billion users' worth of real-time conversations and insights. While it’s early days for Meta’s attempt at a Google-killer, it’s safe to assume they’re cooking up a search tool designed to stand out from the crowd.

This brings us to lesson #1: 

The era of one-size-fits-all tools is over.

Small differences in how you use AI tools can create massive advantages.

Remember when Excel was the only way to work with data? When PowerPoint owned presentations? Those days are gone.

Now, for every task, you have multiple AI-powered options that are each slightly better for specific use cases.

Naturally, a strong understanding of each tool is more important than ever.

That’s why The Rundown AI University community creates daily tutorials that help you use the right tools for the right tasks.

Of course, Google isn't just living in the past. If the future of AI is about making information easier to learn from, they’re building tools that promise to make that a reality.

And we’re right there with them.

Inside The Rundown AI University, we’ve just released one of our daily tutorials all about Google's new Learn About tool. This experimental innovation provides an interactive, in-depth learning experience with AI-powered explanations, visual aids, and dynamic content exploration to make learning new subjects easier.

And we also have a list of tutorials dedicated to Google’s NotebookLM tool — an AI-powered research and writing assistant built to quickly become an expert on your uploaded documents and help with note-taking, collaboration, research, and personalised audio content. 

Still, if Google Search actually is dying, most people don’t seem to know.

Right now, Google still owns the vast majority of search traffic (see graphic below).

This leads us on to lesson #2:

The opportunity to be an early adopter is still wide open. 

The fact that so few have moved away from Google and Bing points to how many people in your field aren’t taking advantage of AI. Yet.

Taking just 5-minutes each day to figure out how to adopt AI into your work is guaranteed to give you a competitive edge.

And, fortunately, The Rundown AI University has hundreds of concise, actionable resources you can use to streamline and automate tasks right away.

To be clear, Google Search (probably) isn't dying. With billions of daily queries, it remains the default gateway to the internet for most people.

But something more interesting is happening:

The brightest minds in tech—researchers, developers, product leaders—are spending their time elsewhere. Across the board, they're not choosing tools based on brand names anymore. They're chasing the best features and capabilities, regardless of who builds them.

This shift has forced an unprecedented pace of innovation. When small teams can ship game-changing features weekly, even tech giants need to sprint to keep up.

That's what makes this moment incredible:

Google, with all its resources, still feels threatened by smaller, AI-focused companies. 

Meta, despite its billions of users, is constantly racing to reinvent itself.

And that sets up lesson #3:

In the AI age being bigger counts for a lot less than it used to.

A small team, or a determined individual, armed with the right AI tools can now compete with companies 100x larger than them. At The Rundown, we use Perplexity daily despite their business being a fraction of Google’s size.

And, inside the University, there are countless examples of members equipping themselves with AI knowhow, transforming their workflows, and outperforming larger competitors.

The landscape shifts daily. New tools emerge. Better techniques are discovered. The only constant? The growing gap between those who adapt and those who don't.

The Rundown AI University exists to keep you on the right side of that gap.

See you inside, 

Rowan & The Rundown Team

P.S. The replay for Friday’s Perplexity workshop is a must-watch. You can get access to all of our recordings, and unlock full access to hundreds of resources, with a free 14-day trial here.