This workshop aims to explore the profound impact of generative AI on the field of information search and search engines. Generative AI has challenged traditional approaches to information search in at least two significant ways. First, AI technologies have been integrated into traditional search engines such as Bing and You.com. This allows the result of a search to be presented both in natural language and with links to web resources. Second, there is a more radical shift in how generative AI can be used to search for information itself without providing links to specific web sources. Prominent examples of this paradigm shift are Google Bard and ChatGPT, based on large language models (LLMs) which use chat functions as a means of retrieving information.
In this workshop we will look at the current development of generative AI and its implications for the future of search engines and search engine research. Some of the key questions we will seek to address include (but are not restricted to):
- What does the ongoing development of generative AI mean for search engines and research in the area?
- How will a transition from querying to prompting impact user behavior and expectations of users who have become accustomed to chat dialogues for information search?
- What are the potential risks associated with the spread of misinformation as generative AI gains traction?
- What methodological considerations do researchers need to address to effectively study the impact of generative AI on information seeking?
We cordially invite researchers in the field of information search and search engine research to participate in this workshop. We encourage participants to bring their own experiences, insights, and questions related to the influence of generative AI on their research. The workshop format will consist of short (five to twenty minute) informal research statements by participants, which will allow for discussion and exchange of ideas.
If you are interested in participating, please send an abstract of your planned research statement no later than 15 July to the organizers: olof.sundin@kultur.lu.se, dirk.lewandowski@haw-hamburg.de
