| November 27, 2024
Brave has introduced a new feature for its search engine: AI chat mode. This enhancement allows users to ask follow-up questions based on their initial search queries, providing a dynamic and interactive search experience. The update builds upon Brave’s earlier feature, “Answer with AI,” which delivers quick, AI-generated summaries above search results. Starting today, users will find a chat bar under these summaries, enabling contextual follow-up questions.
What Sets Brave Apart From Google?
Unlike Google, which offers “AI Overviews” but requires new searches for additional queries, Brave integrates follow-up functionality directly. This allows users to refine their searches seamlessly without starting over.
For example, typing “Christopher Nolan films” into Brave Search provides an AI-generated summary detailing Nolan’s career and notable films. Now, users can use the chat bar to ask related questions, such as “Which actors appear most in his films?” The chatbot responds with a detailed answer, offering a deeper exploration of the topic.
How the Chat Experience Works
Once a follow-up query is entered, users are taken into a chat interface that includes real-time sources. This transparency ensures users understand where the chatbot’s information originates. Brave’s chat experience leverages open-source and internal large language models (LLMs) to bridge the gap between traditional search engines and AI chat tools.
This integration highlights the strengths of both approaches:
- Search engines excel at retrieving images, links, and structured data.
- AI chatbots are ideal for exploring topics through contextual questions.
Brave now combines these tools to create a more cohesive experience for its users.
Privacy and Scale
Privacy remains a cornerstone of Brave’s services. The company reassures users that queries made via Answer with AI are not stored or used to build user profiles.
Brave shared that Brave Search processes over 36 million queries daily, with Answer with AI generating more than 11 million answers each day.
Future Implications of AI Chat in Search
Brave believes this feature addresses a long-standing limitation in search engines by eliminating the need for a choice between search-first and chat-first platforms. CEO Brendan Eich envisions this hybrid model redefining how users interact with search engines, especially in areas like research, education, and content discovery.
