Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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.

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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: Deep Search.

AI Mode is a version of Google that uses "Gemini 2.5’s advanced reasoning, thinking and multimodal capabilities" to interpret and offer information and answers to your questions, keywords, uploaded images, and more (Google).

Access AI Mode under the Google search bar.  

Recommendations when using AI Mode

• Do have a conversation with your instructor first about using AI Mode as a source on your assignment. Could AI Mode be considered a secondary citation?​​​​​​
• Do fact check the information AI Mode offers to you.
  • This is easy enough to do; AI Mode cites the main sources of information it pulls from.
  • Go to those sources and use your information evaluation skills to:
    • Verify the information was interpreted accurately by AI
    • Determine if the information is up-to-date enough for your needs
    • Decide if the source websites are credible for your needs
• Don't copy and paste the AI summary into your assignments. That is plagiarism: taking someone--or something--else's ideas and presenting them as your own. 

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