Artificial Intelligence (AI) and critical thinking

Traditional search engines

Free tools that index vast amounts of data across the web and return search results organized in lists that allow user to select based on relevance, reputation, or other personal criteria. Easy to use, deliver fast results.

AI-driven search engines

Free or pay tools that use natural language processing (NLP) to decipher the context and intent behind a search. Results are hyper-personalized and delivered as a direct answer or overview, instead of links.

Learn more

Here are two articles examining AI-driven search tools (also called AI search engines, AI-powered search, AI search). For a good time, evaluate each article using SIFT.

AI Overview generates an overview of the topic you searched for. Overviews appear at the top of the search screen; search results appear underneath. The overviews provide a chatbot-like experience that includes links to learn more.

There are advantages and drawbacks to using AI-driven search; we invite you to talk through the implications with your instructors or your friendly CCC librarian.

(Screenshot taken in May 2025. Note the information it links you to is one year old ... ancient in AI years!)

Advantages

• You immediately get a broad introduction to your topic without needing to click links.
• You can adjust Overviews to give simpler or more detailed explanations.

Drawbacks

• You don't know what you aren't seeing. AI search will block you from seeing content it deems objectionable, dangerous, unlawful...???
• You don't get to choose the sources of your content. More or less authoritative, old or new; you don't get to choose - AI does.
• Sometimes the content is wrong (funny, but wrong).
• Content creators won't get traffic on their sites because you won't visit them. Creators, who make the content that trains AI, lose out.

Coming later in 2025: AI Mode and Deep Search.