Faster “research” with AI tools

There’s no doubt that AI tools are helping to complete tasks much faster than before. However, it’s important to analyze this revolution carefully before considering it a significant advancement. Quantity alone is not an indicator of quality. True progress is achieved when both quantity and quality improve. Here’s a brief example of how AI tools can expedite research and writing tasks.

Suppose I want to identify attractive pharmaceutical and biotech companies located in Stuttgart. To narrow the search, the companies should have at least 100 employees and be within a 30 km radius of Stuttgart. I’ll use one tool: Perplexity.ai, chosen for its search capabilities compared to other AI tools. The search in Perplexity.ai provided the following list:

• CureVac AG
• Rentschler Biopharma SE
• Affimed
• Molecular Health
• Heidelberg Pharma AG

Now, let’s verify these results manually using Google:

• CureVac AG is in Tübingen, 40 km from Stuttgart.
• Rentschler Biopharma SE is near Ulm, 114 km from Stuttgart.
• Affimed is near Heidelberg, around 90 km from Stuttgart.
• Molecular Health and Heidelberg Pharma AG are also over 90 km from Stuttgart.

The AI tool included companies that are farther than the specified 30 km radius, highlighting a common issue: AI sometimes provides incomplete or inaccurate information. As a reader and writer, I am more cautious now because misinformation can be generated quickly. This forces me to double-check many things, a phenomenon many readers experience daily. On the positive side, this encourages the search for trustworthy information sources. That means trust will be more important in the era of AI.

AI can enhance work quality, but users must navigate between accurate and inaccurate information. A useful method is to write different prompts for the same questions, as this can yield more accurate information. Often, AI tools recognize its errors and provide correct answers upon subsequent attempts. In the future, AI models might even be necessary to verify the accuracy of other AI models. The future looks promising.

Juan Carlos

Summary of Key Points:

• Speed and Efficiency: AI tools expedite tasks but require careful analysis.
• Quality vs. Quantity: Both must improve for true progress.
• Verification: Always double-check AI-generated information.
• User Caution: Be vigilant about potential inaccuracies.
• Future Potential: AI tools have a bright future with proper use and verification.