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TikTok as a search engine
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Taking on Google for search supremacy?

You’d think taking on a giant like Google in the quest for a better search engine is crazy. Yet, plenty of ambitious start-ups are doing it anyway. Neeva and DuckDuckGo, for instance, tackle the issue of privacy, while Ecosia donates 80% of its profits to planting trees.

What’s more interesting is how search has evolved over time. Ten years ago you’d get most of your answers from Google or Bing. Given the insane amounts of content being produced now, we’re not surprised to see people resort to TikTok and other creator platforms to get their questions answered. According to Insider and Google’s Knowledge & Information team, “nearly half of Gen Z is using TikTok and Instagram for search instead of Google” when looking for a spot to eat. Mark Zuckerberg also announced today Instagram is introducing a searchable map to make it easier to find popular locations.

VC firm a16z’s Future adds an interesting point into the mix, arguing that “the opportunity in search is not to attack Google head-on with a massive, one-size-fits-all horizontal aggregator, but instead to build boutique search engines that index, curate, and organize things in new ways.”

That’s what the You.com team is doing with YouCode. Founded by two former AI scientists at Salesforce, this new launch is a spin-off from its core search engine. YouCode is aimed at developers and makes it easier to discover, copy, generate code snippets, and answer coding questions.

Naturally, there’s an AI element to it, too. YouCode can generate code with Code Complete, an AI-powered coding tool that writes code using a neural network language model – think Smart Compose in Gmail.

What’s your take? Is Google fine as is or does search need disruption?

CAT NIPS
  • Are data platforms the new backend? We're working with Snowflake, Rudderstack, Anectdotes, and Supergrain to find out. Drop us your questions.

  • Stuck on what to write on that button? Call to Action Examples is a curated list of call-to-action phrases for different goals.

  • Trunk Merge orchestrates merging pull requests to maintain a repository of code that always passes tests. It tests your PR against other submitted PRs and only merges PRs that pass the extra testing.

  • BeTimeful 2.0 removes distracting elements from your social media feeds.

How To
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Zen posture

The Walden Meditation Bench is designed with two monolithic shapes made from White Ash that come together at their apex.

“The wide seat creates a comfortable base and the subtle angle tilts your hips forward enough erecting your spine for better posture,” the makers share.

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