Home Forums FineTunedMac Community Lounge A New Take on Browsers & Search Engines

Arc II launched yesterday. The big reveal is a built-in AI-driven search engine. Enter a search term and press return and you will get a normal search using your default search engine, but press Shift+Return and the AI will search six search engine databases, analyze and rank the results, and even provide related information. All of this has been ported to the iPhone version as well. Did I mention that it strips the re-directs from the search engine results, so links tend to work faster?

DISCLAIMER: I have no relationship with The Browser Company of New York other than that of an enthusiastic user.

I realized I had already downloaded this app and used it once.

Tell me about the searches, i.e. what is it best for? Specific product searches, which Google does okay, or non-specific searches, where is God today?

So far, the drastic format difference puts me off. I hate learning curves.

Do you get your choice of the other search engines?

As respects Arc II, as well as all other AI "infused" functionality, has anybody devised a universally applicable set of questions that can be posed to establish, or at least get an indication of, the functionality's bias?

I've read about any number of instances in which AI has returned results that were contrary to the intent of its implementers, which leads to the obvious question of how do you predetermine that intent before you begin relying on AI's responses?

I'm with you on the learning curve, but beyond that, I'm curious about what use I might find for the functionality.

As you say, Google, which I augment with Amazon and, on occasion, eBay, is eminently suitable for product searches, particularly since Amazon Prime saves me virtually all of the shipping charges which are, subject to minimums, in addition to general Google results.

And as for general info, I prefer to get it from sources whose bias I know in advance, rather than to rely on an arbitrarily trained AI.

I was trying to ignore Arc II, but I keep being sent "how to" emails to tempt me to give it a go. However, all the tips seem to be for people with much more complicated lives...

I began the Arc download process once, but they insisted that I supply an email address before they'd initiate a download, and I balked, turned away, and never looked back.

And as for Arc II, I'm with you as far as not being able to ascertain what possible purpose it - i.e., AI - would serve in my life.