How AI is changing the process of information retrieval on the internet

The thesis focuses on analyzing how modern AI chatbots, which operate on the basis of large language models, are changing the process of information retrieval on the internet. Special attention is given to the extent to which they can represent an alternative to traditional search systems and how they contribute to the gradual change in user behavior when working with information. The theoretical part focuses on the development of search process, the operating principles of search engines, their limitations and the evolution of generative models. The empirical part includes an experimental comparison of three widely used AI chatbots, specifically ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and the traditional Google search engine, based on a set of twenty complex test queries from various categories. These queries were conceptualized as model questions of an ordinary user to best reflect real situations in which people use search tools. The answers were evaluated according to specific criteria, including accuracy, timelines and relevance. The thesis also emphasizes the growing trend of integration generative artificial intelligence into search tools and the development of features that combine traditional indexed search with the capabilities of generative models. This approach opens up possibilities for new ways of working with information and reveals potential directions for further development in this field.