Andi Search adds Generated Content feature

Andi is adding a Generated Content feature to its search results. It promises “the most accurate generative AI content and reliable source citation in the industry.” 

That’s a big claim from a small search engine. So is Andi truly more accurate than the new Bing, which is now powered by GPT-4?

As with all things generative AI, the output isn’t perfect. Andi’s new feature seems to shine in a few scenarios but also failed in a few others.

Why we care. There are a lot of generative AI tools coming out that can help you in your day-to-day tasks, including content creation. Andi won’t force you to rethink your search marketing strategies now – but its Generated Content feature is worth a look. 

About Andi Search. Andi Search is Ask Jeeves’ cooler, younger sibling, according to its co-founder and CEO Angela Hoover. The grand vision is to eventually create Jarvis from “Iron Man.” 

Andi tries to deliver simple, factually-correct answers with attribution. Founded Sept. 15, 2021, Andi describes itself as:

“an AI search chatbot that’s accurate, ad-free and privacy-focused. It uses a new type of search engine powered by generative AI combined with live data and semantic search technology. Instead of just links, Andi gives you answers – like chatting with a smart friend.”

I first learned of Andi last year when I shared my initial thoughts on it with a reporter for this story. 

I was struck by its unique interface. It felt like asking a question to a chatbot, as opposed to entering a query in a search box as you would on Google or Microsoft Bing. And I was intrigued by the card-style visual search results page.

Since that time, Andi added a Summarizer feature, which summarizes articles appearing in Andi’s search results.

Also of note – there are no ads. Hoover said she never wants ads on the platform because she felt it corrupted Google and ads would corrupt Andi.

Is this new tool a true ChatGPT alternative? Technically, yes – but it definitely has room to improve.

Let’s dig deeper into a few examples of Andi’s generative AI. I’ve only had a few hours to play with it so far, so I’ve only scratched the surface on use cases.

The good. Andi’s Content Generator shined in a few scenarios. Search Engine Land’s About Us page is in need of some love. So I asked Andi to generate me some content.

Here’s what it generated:

About Search Engine Land

Search Engine Land is the go-to source for digital marketing, advertising technology, and the martech landscape. Founded by search industry veterans Danny Sullivan and Chris Sherman, we provide daily news coverage of breaking stories, industry trends, feature announcements, and product changes at popular platforms used by search marketers.

Our team of experienced editors and contributors offer practical tips, tactics, and strategies for running successful marketing programs. We also produce Digital Marketing Depot, our research center for digital marketers, as well as the Search Marketing Expo and MarTech conference series.

At Search Engine Land, we are committed to providing our readers with the most up-to-date information and insights on digital marketing, advertising technology, and the martech landscape. We strive to be a trusted source of knowledge, offering helpful advice and resources to help our readers make informed decisions.

Our team is passionate about helping our readers succeed in their digital marketing efforts. We believe in transparency and strive to create an open and honest dialogue with our readers. We are committed to providing our readers with the best possible experience, and we take pride in our work.

We invite you to join us on our journey and explore the world of digital marketing with us. Visit our website to learn more about our team, our events, and our daily newsletters. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about marketing opportunities, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you!

It’s pretty good, though clearly not perfect (it is a bit repetitive and misses that our focus is mainly SEO and PPC – and why would we tell people on our website to visit our website?). But it’s a solid starting point. 

Next, I tried to draft a blog post about the top 10 restaurants in Austin. 

The 10 Best Restaurants in Austin

Austin is a city of many flavors, and the dining scene is no exception. From tacos and barbecue to queso and margaritas, there’s something for everyone. But with so many restaurants to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best restaurants in Austin.

At the top of the list is La Barbecue, a Texas BBQ joint that serves up some of the best brisket in the city. For tacos and margaritas, aLa Condesa is the place to go. Fresa’s is the spot for queso, tacos, and frozen margaritas, while Veracruz All Natural has the best breakfast tacos in town. Uchiko is the local favorite for sushi, while Ramen Tatsu-Ya and Daruma Ramen are great spots for ramen.

June’s All-Day is a great place for happy hour, and Blue Dahlia Bistro and Justine’s are great for European food. Lutie’s Garden Restaurant is the hottest new restaurant in Austin, and Aba has the largest and most beautiful outdoor dining space in the city. Qi Austin is the newest restaurant with the best soup dumplings in Austin, and Honey Moon Spirit Lounge is a great bar with an ethereal atmosphere. Finally, Neighborhood Sushi is a great spot for lunch and dinner.

No matter what you’re in the mood for, you’re sure to find something delicious at one of these restaurants. So grab a friend, make a reservation, and get ready to explore the best of Austin’s culinary scene. Bon appétit!

I shared this with a local, our own Nicole Farley. Her response: “That’s actually super accurate.”

This may not be by accident that Andi shines here. Unhelpful search results, in part, inspired Hoover to work on a search engine. In need of high-quality search results on a backpacking trip – instead, she found ads and SEO spam when she turned to Google.

Another prompt that produced a pretty good result: “Write a social media post about the story of the Google founders”. Andi gave me:

The Google story began with two ambitious students at Stanford University. Larry Page and Sergey Brin disagreed about nearly everything during their first meeting, but soon after, they struck a partnership. From their dorm rooms, they built a search engine that used links to determine the importance of individual pages on the World Wide Web. They called this search engine Backrub, and eventually renamed it Google.

Today, Google is a global leader in technology, with hundreds of products used by billions of people across the globe. But it all started with two students in a dorm room, and a dream to make the world’s information universally accessible and useful. #GoogleStory

The bad. While Andi did OK with the post on Google’s founders, it struggled when tasked to write social media content for a specific URL. 

I asked Andi to “Draft a LinkedIn post about this article https://searchengineland.com/google-generative-ai-coming-to-docs-gmail-in-workspace-394250.”

This is a summary, not something you’d expect to read on LinkedIn.

How would it do if asked to write a tweet about that same article? Also not spectacular. The result:

Google is pushing generative AI into its products, but is it too late? Read this article to find out why Google is scrambling to put AI into everything: https://searchengineland.com/google-generative-ai-coming-to-docs-gmail-in-workspace-394250 #Google #AI #GenerativeAI

That’s actually more of a summary of this article than the article on Google bringing generative AI into Google Docs and Gmail. 

Yet when I asked Andi to write a post on Google adding generative AI to WorkSpace, I got this:

“Google is bringing generative AI to its Workspace suite, with Docs and Gmail being the first to receive the new AI assistant! Get ready to write job descriptions, formal emails, and more with just a single prompt. #GoogleWorkspace #GenerativeAI”

I also tried this prompt: “Write an email to my boss about why I should attend SMX Advanced in June.”

This generated content had multiple issues – most notably: Andi pulled information about the 2019 edition of SMX Advanced, which took place in Seattle. This year’s Advanced will be June 13-14, all online, definitely not in Seattle. 

Dear Boss,

I’m writing to let you know about an opportunity that I believe could be beneficial to our team. SMX Advanced is a search marketing conference taking place in Seattle from June 3-5. It is the only search marketing conference that is designed for expert search marketers, and I believe attending would be a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest tactics, trends, and technologies in the industry.

SMX Advanced is programmed by Search Engine Land, the search marketing industry publication of record. That means you get all of the Search Engine Land content you love, straight from Search Engine Land’s editors and industry experts. The conference offers four tracks that run simultaneously — SEO, SEM, Insights, and Solutions — so there is something for everyone. The sessions are fast-paced and Q&As are no holds barred, so you can dive deep and train hard.

The speakers are held to the highest ethical standards, so you only learn tactics that are safe for your brand or clients. In the Expo Hall and Solutions Track, you can find products and services that save time and boost performance. You can also add a full-day, full-throttle workshop to your itinerary, with topics including Advanced SEO, Advanced AdWords, Technical SEO, and more.

The conference also offers top-shelf amenities, including full breakfasts and hot lunches, built-in recharge and refreshment breaks, and complimentary WiFi. Plus, everyone who attends SMX Advanced is invited to celebrate the best in search at the 5th Annual Search Engine Land Awards.

Attending SMX Advanced is an investment, but you can save up to $900 off on-site rates with an All Access Pass or All Access + Workshop Combo. I believe attending this conference would be a great way to stay informed and up-to-date on the latest search marketing trends, and I hope you will consider allowing me to attend.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Andi

Inspired by a tweet from Barry Schwartz:

I was curious to see if Andi could tell me how many articles I’ve written for Search Engine Land. Here’s what I got:

I’ve written more than 15 articles (more than 200 actually) and, unless I hallucinated, I joined Search Engine Land in January 2022.

Finally, for fun, I asked Andi to write a poem about SEO in the style of Dr. Seuss. It started out fine, but that didn’t last long.

Oh, the places you’ll go with SEO!
From the top of the page to the bottom, you’ll see
You’ll find yourself in a world of content
Where your rankings will be heaven-sent

Search engine optimization is the key
To make sure your website can be seen
You’ll need to use keywords and phrases galore
To make sure your site is seen more

You’ll need to make sure your content is fresh
And that your website is up to date
You’ll need to make sure your page loads quickly
And that your content is great

You’ll need to make sure your website is secure
And that your links are all valid
You’ll need to make sure your images are optimized
And that your content is well-written

You’ll need to make sure your website is mobile-friendly
And that your content is engaging
You’ll need to make sure your website is accessible
And that your content is engaging

You’ll need to make sure your website is user-friendly
And that your content is informative
You’ll need to make sure your website is SEO-friendly
And that your content is relevant

Oh, the places you’ll go with SEO!
From the top of the page to the bottom, you’ll see
You’ll find yourself in a world of content
Where your rankings will be heaven-sent!

Bottom line. Andi’s Generated Content feature has been fun to play around with. And at the low cost of $0, it’s a question of whether you think the learning curve will be worth your time. Prompt writing is an emerging skill – so getting what you need out of Andi will require experimentation.