For the last few months, anyone who has ever touched a search bar has been plagued by the dreaded Google AI Overview feature. Sure, it makes a simple search much more manageable than combing through dozens of webpages and sponsored sites — but it’s a living nightmare when you’re actually doing comprehensive research for something or trying to figure out a very human process.

And by human process, I mean pulling up to a shop to get my oil changed and really determining if I should pay an extra $50 for an air filter change — I don’t necessarily want to be at the overview’s mercy when I feel like its AI will tell me to spend money on that when I could easily do it myself. However, Google doesn’t know the extent of my vehicular maintaining abilities — only my dad knows that best. But when he’s a few states away and can’t pick up the phone, I want the next closest thing: the other dads of the internet. No AI can replace that invaluable collective archive of information.

It’s not just dad-skills I want instead of AI overviews — it’s makeup tutorials, gift guides, whether or not a spider is a brown recluse, and everything else. Anything that we — as humans — have been ‘Googling’ for so long. But with the prominence of AI infiltrating every aspect of our lives, I’m craving human authenticity, imperfection, and compassion more than ever. So, here are the platforms and tricks I use every time I open a new tab to make sure I’m finding the most human responses.

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1

Reddit

For all things technical

Dads of Reddit, what do the emojis on my dashboard mean? This might sound silly, but there are threads upon threads of people with completely comprehensive knowledge about the exact year and make of the car I drive. I can dive into a Reddit thread for it, ask if I’m capable of fixing a particular issue happening with my car, and everyone from retired mechanics to girl-dads looking out for other daughters out there will jump in to give me advice on how to do it myself, or if I should bring it in to a professional.

Yes, Reddit has an app, but I prefer to head right into Google and type in my issue, followed by “Reddit,” to bring the Reddit results to the top. That way, if I find a blog or something else below them, I’m not missing out on the best collections of information.

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2

Substack and other blogs

For opinions, advice, and artistic satisfaction

Bloggers are so back. Actually, they never truly left — but with the rise of influencers and podcast culture, it seemed like small online writers fell somewhat by the wayside. People’s attention spans felt too short to get through an entire well-written article, which is another disservice on which AI Overviews are pouring gasoline.

However, Substack came out of the woodwork a few years ago to launch blogging back into the limelight. Substack is a free (or subscription-based, depending on the blog) online platform where writers, journalists, and other content creators publish work that’s also sent directly to their audiences. I typically run to the app or even add “Substack” to my Google search to find blogs centered around wellbeing, inspiration, and even advice that errs more on the emotional, inspirational, or creative side of things.

As a journalist who writes creatively in her free time, I am always looking for world-building tips, writing prompts, or new expressions to give to my fictional characters. The more you read, the better you write — so reading about writing tips truly does ingrain it in my mind better than any other learning medium.

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3

YouTube and TikTok

For visual learners who like quick tutorials and online education

I’m a visual learner, so sometimes when I’m struggling with Canva, Excel, or another application, I run straight to the TikTok or YouTube search bar to find a solution to my technical issues. I have never run into an issue online that someone else hasn’t flagged before I did, so there is almost always a video (or hundreds) dedicated to a fix or particular workaround.

If you’re a visual learner, I strongly recommend using these two platforms for tutorials and education. Speaking of education, YouTube has such a plethora spanning every single subject possible, that you can learn quite literally almost anything you need to. I may not have an MBA, but as a small business owner, I turned to YouTube for all things accounting, finances, and software. I call myself ‘self-taught,’ but I’d put YouTube on my imaginary degree if I ever received one.

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YouTube has a search bar at the top of the page (or app), and TikTok’s sits in the upper-left corner. Another great thing about TikTok’s search bar is that if you’re watching a particular video, the algorithm suggests a search phrase at the bottom related to the video that other users have used after watching the video. It also populates when you open the comments — you can tell by the words written in blue at the top or in the section itself with a magnifying glass icon beside it. Click it, and it will take you to the results. For example, this is what appeared on my For You Page when I saw a post from NASA:

4

Pinterest

Almost exclusively for recipes, quick tips, and visual inspiration

When I use Pinterest, I almost exclusively use the app. Think of it like searching for something on Google and filtering the results by “Images” at the top. That’s exactly how it feels to scroll there, and Pinterest is one of my personal favorites. It only gained more brownie points with its disclosure of AI-generated content and ability for users to see less of it in a world so saturated already.

Since it’s almost completely image-based, Pinterest is great for visual learners. Each pin is created to grab your attention somehow, so if you search for “healthy recipes,” and find one that catches your eye, it will most likely bring you directly to the creator’s blog with the full recipe, where you can sift through even more they have posted should you like what you make.

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I love Pinterest for so many reasons, but also because it’s led me to some of my favorite content creators online. Not just to their social media accounts, but directly to their websites and email lists. This way, I don’t have to rely on specific apps, those generalized AI overviews, or ChatGPT to come up with ideas.

Overall, I think supporting genuine human creators is more important than ever. However, selfishly, I crave the connection with other people — even if their responses aren’t perfect. There is something so endearingly human in a retired dad out there taking the time to tell me how to check my oil or trying my hand at a family recipe for blueberry cobbler that a brand-new mom was brave enough to post online. I’ll jump through the extra hoops and stretch my attention span to experience that connection.