360AI search
Free
360AI Search is a new generation of generative
360AISearch
Core parameters and statistics
360AI Search is an intelligent search product launched by 360 in the era of generative AI. It is not about changing the skin of the search box, but on the basis of the traditional "return to link list", it is superimposed with the ability of a large model to directly generate answers, aggregate information from multiple sources and support questioning. The core goal is to compress the link of "search - filtering - sorting" into "one question to get a structured answer".
| Projects | Public Information |
|---|---|
| Official positioning | A new generation of generative AI search engine |
| Product form | Web search portal |
| Producer | 360 (three sixty) |
| Core Competencies | Large model Q&A, answer aggregation, source citation, questioning |
| Target users | Chinese information retrieval users |
| Support Platform | Web |
| Place of Belonging | China |
| Billing form | Free to use |
Product Boundary: It is oriented to retrieval scenarios that "require answers rather than just links" and is suitable for knowledge query, data summary and quick understanding. However, for professional research that requires authoritative first-hand sources and rigorous verification, manual secondary confirmation is still required.
Capability Source: The search index and traffic portal come from 360’s existing search system, and the generative Q&A capability is responsible for integrating search results into readable answers. The combination of the two is what distinguishes it from pure large-model dialogue products.
User and market recognition
360 has long-term search and browser portals, and 360AI search can reach a large number of Chinese users through existing traffic distribution. The official has not disclosed the specific figures such as independent daily activity and Q&A volume of 360AI search. The relevant scale is subject to official real-time disclosure.
True value: It hits the pain point of "too slow to find answers under information overload". Traditional search requires users to click on multiple links to compare. AI search pre-processes this step into machine aggregation, saving time in filtering and splicing information.
Recognized source: For AI search products, recognition is mainly reflected in the quality of the answers and the reliability of the sources - whether the answers are accurate, whether the references are traceable, and whether the follow-up questions are coherent. These can only be verified in real use, not based on publicity.
Cost advantage
360AI search is free and open to C-end users, and the cost advantage is directly reflected in “zero usage threshold”.
C-side/Individual: The core Q&A and search capabilities are free, and users can use them without registering or paying. This is 360’s typical approach of monetizing through traffic portals rather than subscriptions.
Developer/API: 360AI Search itself is a product for end users and has not disclosed a unified open API billing plan; if there are enterprise access requirements, the official real-time page or business communication should prevail.
Hidden Cost: The real cost of free AI search is not money, but “answer credibility.” Generated answers may have outdated information or splicing errors, and the original sources need to be checked before being used for decision-making. For privacy-sensitive queries, attention should also be paid to the data collection boundaries of search behavior.
Main functions
- Generative Answers: Generate a structured answer directly to the question instead of just returning a linked list.
- Multi-source aggregation: Integrate and summarize the content of multiple web pages to give a comprehensive conclusion.
- Source citation: Mark the source of the information in the answer to facilitate traceability and verification.
- Questioning and Continuous Dialogue: Supports continued questioning based on the results of the previous round to form a coherent search.
- Combined with 360 search ecology: Reuse existing indexes and entrances to cover Chinese web content.
Hidden linkage: Its value is not in a single question and answer, but in the combination of "answer + quote + follow-up question" - users can not only get quick conclusions, but also follow the references to verify, and then use follow-up questions to gradually narrow the questions, reducing the need to switch back and forth between multiple tabs.
Model and version evolution
Continuous iterative updates, the latest version introduces performance optimization and new features. Historical version information can be viewed on the official release page. There is no complete public version evolution timeline yet. It is recommended to pay attention to the official announcement to understand the rhythm of feature updates.
Technical advantages
Mechanism: Combine traditional search indexing with large model generation - retrieval is responsible for recalling relevant web pages, and the model is responsible for summarizing answers and marking sources. The two form a link of "retrieval enhanced generation".
Effectiveness: Compared with pure large-model dialogue, its answers have traceable web page sources, reducing the risk of being generated out of thin air; compared with traditional searches, it saves users the step of manually clicking on multiple links for comparison.
Applicable scenarios: Retrieval tasks that “require conclusions as well as sources” such as knowledge query, rapid data summary, and concept understanding best reflect the value of this enhanced retrieval.
How to use
- Open the 360AI search web portal.
- Enter a question or keyword in the search box.
- View the generated aggregate answers and click on the citation to check the source.
- Continue to ask questions based on the results, and gradually narrow down to the required information.
The whole process does not require installation or registration, and it can be used out of the box for Chinese users.
Product Pricing
The pricing model is subject to the official real-time page. Usually a freemium or subscription system is used, and basic functions can be used for free. Advanced functions or high-frequency use require paid subscriptions, and users are advised to evaluate the optimal solution based on actual usage.
Application scenarios
- Daily Knowledge Query: Quickly understand a certain concept, event or method.
- Information Summary: Integrate information scattered on multiple web pages into a comprehensive conclusion.
- Learning and Research Assistance: First use AI search to establish a cognitive framework, and then conduct in-depth verification.
- Information gathering before writing: Quickly obtain background information and citable sources.
Applicable people
- Ordinary Chinese users: Hope to get the answer directly instead of clicking links one by one.
- Students and Knowledge Workers: Need to quickly summarize information and establish a framework of understanding.
- Content Creator: Conduct background research and collect traceable sources before writing.
Unfit Boundary: High-risk decisions such as professional research and legal medical care that require extremely high accuracy of answers cannot directly rely on generative answers and must manually verify primary sources; you must also be cautious with privacy-sensitive queries.
Summary and Outlook
360AI Search brings "retrieval enhancement generation" to a popular search portal, using free, traceable citations and support for questioning, reducing the cost for Chinese users to obtain answers. Its limitation is that generative answers may still be wrong or out of date, and key decisions must be verified back to the original source.
Implementation suggestions: Individual users can directly use it as a search starting point for "aggregate first, then verify"; for professional scenarios that require credible sources, they should use it as a clue discovery tool rather than a source of conclusions, and maintain a second confirmation of the citation source.
Related tools: perplexity, you-com
Version evolution of 360AI search
As an online service, 360AI's search capabilities are rollingly updated with back-end models and retrieval systems, without traditional discrete version numbers.
Main line context
- AI search introduction period: Generative Q&A will be superimposed on 360’s existing search capabilities to form an AI search product.
- Continuous Optimization Period: Improve answer accuracy, source annotation and questioning coherence, and expand the types of queries that can be processed.
The precise version date has not been officially disclosed. The text is marked with the online version at the time of collection, and historical milestones are described according to the public context.
Version Info
- 360AI search (online version) ：The online service is continuously updated, and the question and answer model and result aggregation capabilities are iterated on a rolling basis at the backend; the official independent version number has not been disclosed, and the online version at the time of collection is marked here. There is no official precise date yet.
- 360AI search is online ：360 introduces generative AI question and answer to the original search capabilities to form an AI search product; there is no official precise date yet.
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