We’’re Good at Search”… Just Not the Kind That the AI era Demands – a Provocation Oct 23, 2025. Abstract: Derived from Perplexity.AI. This essay by Aaron Tay explores the evolving landscape of search in the age of AI, focusing on the shifting challenges and skillsets faced by librarians and information professionals. Tay argues that traditional expertise—centered on Boolean logic, controlled vocabularies, and database-specific retrieval—offers little preparation for the new paradigm defined by AI technologies such as semantic search, dense embeddings, and retrieval augmented generation. He observes that librarians often evaluate search engines based on user interface, coverage, and auxiliary features, frequently overlooking the central importance of relevance modeling. As AI-powered search tools proliferate, with algorithms varying greatly in effectiveness, Tay contends that true differentiation comes from how well these systems retrieve relevant results—not from ancillary features that are easily replicated. The article further discusses the necessity for librarians to cultivate both theoretical and practical understanding of modern information retrieval, advocating for hands-on experimentation alongside conceptual grounding. Tay calls for an updated competency model, urging information professionals to grasp and test new retrieval technologies critically, as the landscape continues to change rapidly.ontinues to change rapidly.