Two AI start-ups, xAI and Perplexity, made a bold move on Tuesday by attempting to demonstrate their AI chatbots as reliable sources of real-time information during the critical Presidential election.

Unfortunately, Elon Musk’s Grok failed almost immediately, providing incorrect information about the results of the races even before the polls had closed. Perplexity, on the other hand, provided useful, real-time election insights and maps throughout the night, linking to trustworthy sources and providing historical context where needed. This daring move by Perplexity paid off handsomely.

Last week, Perplexity announced the launch of its election information hub, which features real-time maps filled with voting data from Democracy Works and the Associated Press. This was a distinct approach from other AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini, which refrained from answering questions related to the election.

Most AI labs opted out of this election, a safe and responsible choice given the past year’s instances of embarrassing missteps. OpenAI, for instance, recently launched its Google competitor, ChatGPT Search, led by Sam Altman. However, it did not trust its feature to answer questions about this election, instead directing users to Vote.org. OpenAI acknowledged that ChatGPT Search is still in its early stages and too unreliable for everyday use.

In contrast, Perplexity has been testing its own Google competitor in the real world since December 2022 and felt confident enough to utilize it in this election.

Perplexity’s successful election night could potentially hinder its ongoing battle with media companies. Specifically, Dow Jones’ recent lawsuit claims that the start-up is in competition with media companies for the same audience. Perplexity’s election hub was a go-to destination on election night, providing information within the app and thereby competing with media companies for viewership. Perplexity’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, even reported “record traffic” the day before the election.

Despite having agreements with Democracy Works, the AP, and a few other media companies, Perplexity also used live election coverage from other media outlets such as CBS, CNN, and the BBC without any announced revenue-sharing partnerships.

On Election Night, Perplexity excelled with its election features, including the charts. By incorporating these charts, Perplexity ensured that their AI systems were not the only source of information in the app.

Visitors to Perplexity’s election hub were greeted with a familiar electoral map of the United States, color-coded for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. This map updated approximately every minute, mirroring the information on the Associated Press’ website.

Despite some bugs in Perplexity’s map throughout the night, CEO Aravind Srinivas promptly addressed the issues reported by users. Perplexity also provided a state-by-state tracker, offering real-time information about swing states.

When asked about the current state of the Presidential race, Perplexity provided mostly accurate information. Although not as insightful as a CNN commentator or as entertaining as The New York Times’ election needle, Perplexity was generally accurate and timely, outperforming other AI chatbots in the market.

This election marked the first time AI chatbots have been used as a source of information about our democratic processes. However, it will certainly not be the last. As AI start-ups continue to develop new, quicker, and more concise ways to deliver information, accuracy will be crucial for future success, and currently, Perplexity is leading the way.