Top AI Search Engines in 2024
Table of Contents
So our regular search tools are going through this huge change right now. The old-school ones that just match keywords and rank pages are getting replaced (or at least upgraded) with these new AI powered search engines. They combine regular search with LLMs and it makes the whole experience way more intuitive and personalized. Saves tons of time too! If you're not sure what I'm talking about, check out this explanation of AI search engines real quick.
(Oh and btw if you're a website owner who doesn't want your site indexed by AI, you can opt out pretty easily. Just follow these steps.)
Leading AI Search Engines
Below is a list of AI search engines that are redefining how we access information:
Google AI Overview
Popularity: ★★★★★
Google has introduced a new AI-powered search engine that uses Google's Gemini 1.5 Pro model to provide a conversational search experience. The main advantage that it is integrated into Google Search and shows on top of search results if available. Typically, it shows for questions like requests. Currently it is estimated to show only for 15% of search requests.
ChatGPT Search
Popularity: ★★★★
ChatGPT Search is a new search engine which is built right into ChatGPT. To enable it you need to click on the planet button in the ChatGPT sidebar. It relies on ChatGPT to provide a conversational search experience, allowing users to ask questions, ask additional questions, ask and get answers using voice. The main advantage that it is integrated into ChatGPT so you can use it right away without switching. As of November 2024, it requires paid account ($20/month) and not available in free version.
Google Gemini
Popularity: ★★
Google Gemini is a standalone chat-like AI engine that provides a conversational search experience. It is simlar to ChatGPT and competes with it but less popular.
Brave Search
Popularity: ★★
Made by the authors of Brave Browser, Brave Search focuses on privacy while offering AI-powered summaries of search results and allowing you to select follow-up questions. Its key benefit is delivering relevant search outcomes without tracking or profiling users. It's entirely free to use.
Perplexity AI
Popularity: ★
Perplexity AI delivers search results that are followed by a conversational search experience, allowing users to ask predefined or custom follow-up questions and organize their searches seamlessly. Its main benefit is that it provides a way to ask custom follow-up questions and also can focus on limited types of sources, for example, on social media only. Most features are free, but you can use more advanced AI for analyzing search results with a premium subscription available at $20/month.
Microsoft Bing AI
Popularity: ★
Microsoft Bing has incorporated OpenAI's GPT-4 technology to provide a CoPilot that provides a summary of search results and allows you to follow up with additional questions via a chat-like interface. The standout benefit is its ability to upload images for follow-up questions. It's free but is limited to four follow-up questions and does not support AI when Safe Search mode is on.
You.com
Popularity: ★
You.com offers a personalized and collaborative search experience, allowing you to select agents which provide customized output, or even build your own custom agent that will tailor search results to your requirements. Its main benefit is customization, allowing you to adjust your search experience to suit your needs. The platform provides basic features for free but requires you to sign up. Premium plans are available.
Andi Search
Popularity: ★
Andi Search combines a chatbot with a search engine, providing comprehensive results that include images and summaries. The main advantage is its visually rich interface that not only summarizes answers but also shows references in large visual cards (like a presentation), which makes information easier to digest. It's free to use.
DuckDuckGo's DuckAssist
Popularity: ★
DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine, and DuckAssist enhances the DuckDuckGo search experience by offering natural language summaries using AI, all while maintaining strict user privacy. Its main benefit is delivering quick, summarized answers without requiring you to log in and without tracking. It's free to use and also provides a free AI Chat page where you can use GPT-4, Mistral, Llama, and other famous AI models without signing up and without tracking.
Looking Ahead
These AI search engines aren't just some futuristic concept they're already here saving us tons of time! I've been using them for research and it's crazy how much faster I can digest info now. No more clicking through a billion pages and trying to piece everything together. The AI basically does that part for you!
If you have a website tho this is both an opportunity and a challenge. You gotta start thinking about how to make your content work with these new systems. We've got a guide on optimizing your content for AI search if you to get ahead of the curve.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which AI search engine is integrated into Google Search results?
Google AI Overview is integrated right into the traditional Google Search. Its Gemini 1.5 Pro model provides concise, conversational answers for around 15% of search queries.
2. Which AI search engine is integrated into ChatGPT?
ChatGPT Search is built into ChatGPT itself. You can enable it by clicking the planet button in the sidebar, but note it is only available to paid ChatGPT subscribers.
3. Is Google Gemini the same as Google AI Overview?
No, Google Gemini is a separate standalone chat-like AI platform, whereas Google AI Overview appears directly within Google Search. They both come from Google but serve slightly different functions.
4. Which AI search engine prioritizes user privacy with minimal tracking?
Brave Search and DuckDuckGo's DuckAssist are both privacy-focused. Brave Search avoids profiling users, and DuckAssist uses AI to summarize without retaining personal data.
5. Which AI search engine offers a visually rich interface that includes references in large visual cards?
Andi Search provides a visually rich interface with large visual cards containing images and references. This helps users quickly grasp answers at a glance.
6. How can I block my site from being indexed by AI search engines?
You can opt out by following standard “robots.txt” protocols or more specialized directives provided by each AI search service. Check our guide on “Protect from AI” for a step-by-step tutorial.
7. Which AI search engine allows advanced customization with user-defined agents?
You.com offers the ability to create or choose specific “agents” for a highly personalized search experience. These agents adapt outputs to suit your exact needs.
8. What is the advantage of Microsoft Bing AI's CoPilot feature?
Microsoft Bing AI’s CoPilot summarizes search results and supports follow-up questions in a chat-like interface. It also uniquely allows image uploads for context in queries.
9. Which AI search engine provides a free AI Chat page with multiple models without requiring sign-up?
DuckDuckGo’s DuckAssist offers a free AI Chat page that taps into GPT-4, Mistral, Llama, and more, all without forcing you to create an account.
10. Do I need a paid subscription to use ChatGPT Search?
Yes. ChatGPT Search is currently only available with ChatGPT’s paid plan ($20/month), so free-version users cannot enable it.
11. Are AI search engines better than traditional search engines?
They often provide more intuitive, personalized, and context-aware results. However, performance can vary based on the query type and the AI model’s training.
12. Why should I consider optimizing my content for AI search engines?
AI-driven systems process web content differently, focusing on semantic relevance and context. Adapting your content to these new criteria helps ensure higher visibility and user engagement.
Keywords
Continue Reading:
Top AI Search Engines for 2025
look at the 2025 field of AI search engines, including ChatGPT Plus and its deep...
The Future of SEO: Evolving Trends and Strategic Preparation
An in-depth analysis of emerging SEO trends and how businesses can prepare for the AI-driven...
JSON-LD Implementation Guide for AI Search Success
A developer-friendly guide to implementing JSON-LD structured data for optimal AI search visibility, with practical...