You think you know what you’re doing and then … you need some help!

• Zoom has gotten so much more sophisticated. How do I learn how to use it?

• What is the best smartphone for taking professional quality photos?

• What are some efficient ways to organize files on my Mac laptop?

A crucial part of using technology — whether tablet, laptop, smartphone, internet, or any other device — is to know what to do when you don’t know or don’t know how to do something. Sometimes that happens when a device’s operating system updates. Or when you are switching platforms. Or, most likely, when you need to learn about something totally new.

It wasn’t too long ago when search was the way to answer tech questions. We’d Google a question we needed an answer for and then search through the results to find the answer to our question.

Now, with artificial intelligence, we have a much more sophisticated way to problem solve. Search and AI each have their strengths but they serve different purposes. And probably more critical, AI and search engines are now deeply connected. AI makes search engines smarter, more intuitive and more helpful by enabling them to understand language better, learn from data, and provide more direct and personalized answers.

Let’s do a quick comparison of searching and using artificial intelligence to answer tech questions.

Learn to search, so you can search effectively. Nearly everyone “Googles” a question occasionally, but few know how to search efficiently. If you haven’t taken a good search course, start there. But to find an answer you need more immediately, start here: Ask a question that is short and includes the specific name of the device you are working on. Something like, “iPhone battery drains too fast” or “How do I dim an Android tablet?” At the end of your question (or statement), write “SOLVED” to find instances where this very problem has been solved. Your search will give you thousands of replies, but remember that the best ones will be at the top of the first page, so focus your attention on those, while ignoring any response marked as an ad at the very top. Look at the websites and their descriptions to find the best and most reputable response to your question.

Search advantages: Traditional search engines provide a wider range of sources and perspectives, and they allow users to explore various original sources. Another key advantage is that search engines clearly display the URLs of the websites in the search results, allowing users to assess the credibility and bias of the information themselves. Search engines are better for finding the latest documentation and tutorials, and accessing specific error messages that match an error message that pops up on your device. And one more key advantage is that most users are very familiar with how traditional search engines work and trust the search process.

AI is a newer way to answer your tech questions and offers potentially faster and more direct answers than a typical search. However, you must be aware of potential inaccuracies and should verify critical information from reliable sources. Yet, for quick, common questions, AI can be efficient and useful. For general AI interaction and content creation, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude AI, Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity AI are typical AI tools to begin with. Depending on which of these you choose, you can ask them to answer questions, generate text, summarize text and much more. As with search engines, the questions you ask AI are key to receive the best responses.

AI advantages: AI assistants (like Claude AI or Gemini and many more) provide personalized explanations tailored to your specific situation. This is very different than a traditional search, which verifies information across multiple sources, leaving it to the searcher to find the information needed. Another AI advantage is that responses tend to be longer, allowing for step-by-step problem solving. Again, because of the potential for longer responses, AI offers conceptual understanding rather than merely presenting links. Finally, AI offers opportunity for an ongoing conversation to refine solutions. More than one question and one answer!

Remember, AI is getting more sophisticated, and the line between search engines and AI is increasingly blurred. The most effective approach is often using both search engines to gather reference materials and verify information, and AI to help interpret, customize and implement solutions based on your specific context.

Lesson learned: You can’t always depend on the family’s tech guru or the tech helper at your local library to help you answer your tech questions. And you really shouldn’t depend on others when you have responsibility for answering your own tech questions. Knowing how to answer your own questions is key for anyone using their personal technology!

For background information on searches and artificial intelligence to answer tech questions, we used responses generated by Claude AI (Anthropic AI) and Gemini (Google/Alphabet). The AI was prompted with questions such as “compare search engines with AI” and “what advantages do search engines have over AI.” The generated text was reviewed and edited by the BoomerTECH Adventures reporting team for accuracy and clarity.

BoomerTECH Adventures (boomertechadventures.com) helps boomers and older adults navigate the digital world with confidence and competence. Active boomers themselves, they use their backgrounds as Maine teachers to support individuals and groups with online courses through Maine Adult Education (tinyurl.com/BTAclasses) articles, videos and presentations to organizations upon request.