A quick, practical guide to finding information faster with AI

Research can be one of the most time-consuming parts of marketing, product management, or running a tourism, hospitality, or retail business. You often need descriptions, facts, statistics, or background information quickly. Yet finding reliable information online can take far longer than it should.

The good news is that AI can dramatically speed up this process.

In this article, I’ll show you a simple way to use AI to find information for you instead of manually searching through websites yourself. This is not a deep dive into research techniques. Think of it as a quick practical introduction so you can start saving time immediately.

If you’d like to go deeper into advanced workflows and automation, we cover that in detail inside The AI Marketing Club.

Why Use AI for Research?

Many business owners and marketers still research the traditional way:

• Opening multiple browser tabs

• Searching through websites

• Copying and pasting information

• Rewriting it into the format they need

That process works, but it can be slow.

AI can do much of that heavy lifting for you.

Instead of manually searching, you simply ask the AI to find the information. It scans the web, gathers the relevant content, and returns a summary you can use straight away.

This is particularly useful when you are:

• Creating product descriptions

• Gathering statistics or facts for marketing

• Looking up supplier information

• Researching destinations, attractions, or travel data

• Collecting competitor insights

In other words, AI becomes your research assistant.

A Real Example from a Business Workflow

This came up recently when I was reviewing the workflow of one of our members.

She works with a souvenir business and spends a lot of time uploading products into their online store. The problem is that suppliers often send incomplete information.

Sometimes they provide:

• Images but no descriptions

• Product codes but no marketing copy

• Partial details that still require research

So she was spending hours searching the internet to find the correct descriptions.

Instead, I showed her a much faster method.

Step-by-Step: Using AI to Find Information

Here is the simple process.

Step 1: Provide the Product Information

Start with the information you already have. This might include:

• Product name

• Product code

• Colour or variation

• Brand name

For example, you might prompt the AI like this:

Prompt Example

Please find the full product description for this product on the internet:
Moke Talei Quilt Bomber Jacket – Blush

The AI will then search the web and return the description it finds online.

Step 2: Let AI Gather the Information

Instead of you manually visiting multiple websites, the AI does the research for you.

It can pull together:

• Product descriptions

• Feature lists

• Materials

• Care instructions

• Brand details

Often the result will already be formatted in a way that you can quickly copy and paste.

Step 3: Refine the Formatting

Once the information appears, you can ask the AI to adjust the formatting.

For example:

Prompt Example

Please remove website links and provide only the product information.
Bold the key features and remove divider lines.

This is incredibly useful if you have a standard format for your website or product listings.

You can quickly shape the content to match your brand structure.

Creating Consistent Product Descriptions

Many businesses follow a consistent structure for product descriptions.

For example:

• Product Name

• Colour

• Short Introduction

• Key Features

• Materials

• Care Instructions

Instead of formatting this manually each time, AI can generate the structure automatically.

Once you know the format you prefer, you simply ask the AI to apply it.

Level Up Your Workflow with AI

Once you start using AI for research, there are several ways you can take this further.

Think of this as three levels of automation.

Level 1: Manual AI Prompts

This is what we covered above.

You simply ask AI to find the information for you each time using prompts.

Example:

Find the full product description for this product code and format it with product name, colour, features, materials and care instructions.

This already saves a huge amount of time.

Level 2: Create an AI Agent

If you find yourself doing this type of research regularly, the next step is to build a small AI assistant, sometimes called an AI agent or custom GPT.

Instead of writing prompts every time, you train the AI agent to always return the information in the correct format.

For example, your AI assistant could automatically return:

• Product name

• Colour

• Short introduction

• Key features

• Materials

• Care instructions

So instead of writing long prompts, you simply type something like:

Find the product description for this product code.

Your AI assistant already knows how to structure the response.

Inside The AI Marketing Club, we show members exactly how to build these types of assistants.

Level 3: Integrate AI Directly Into Your Website or Shopify Store

The most advanced level is when the AI agent is connected directly to your website or ecommerce platform, such as Shopify.

At this stage, AI is no longer just helping you research. It becomes part of your workflow.

For example, the process could look like this:

1. A supplier sends product information.

2. The AI agent searches for missing information online.

3. It structures the product description automatically.

4. The description is sent directly into your Shopify store or website draft listing.

5. You review and approve it before publishing.

This can dramatically reduce the time it takes to upload products.

However, it is important to keep a human review step before publishing. AI should assist your workflow, not fully control it.

When implemented properly, this type of automation can save hours every week.

Advanced Research: Deep Research Tools

The examples above are for quick research.

Sometimes you need something more detailed, such as:

• Competitor analysis

• Market research

• Tourism trends

• Marketing statistics

• Destination insights

In those cases, you can use deep research tools.

These tools analyse much larger datasets and provide more detailed reports.

AI Tools You Can Use for Research

Several AI tools are excellent for research.

ChatGPT

Great for everyday research, summaries, and structured responses.

You can ask it to search the web and return information in a specific format.

Google Gemini

Gemini is Google's AI system and integrates naturally with web search.

You can simply ask a research question and it will retrieve information from across the web.

Perplexity AI

Perplexity is particularly strong for research because it automatically includes sources and citations.

This makes it easier to verify information.

Claude AI

Claude is widely used for writing and editing.

While some people use it for research, many prefer it for refining content rather than finding the information itself.

The Real Benefit: Saving Time

The biggest advantage of AI research is simple.

It gives you your time back.

Instead of spending hours searching the internet, AI gathers the information for you in seconds.

That means you can:

• Focus on strategy

• Create better marketing

• Improve your products

• Reduce repetitive tasks

Or, as I like to say, you can simply go and have a cup of tea while the AI does the heavy lifting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can AI really replace manual research?

AI does not replace human judgement, but it dramatically speeds up the process of gathering information. You still review and verify the results, but the initial research takes seconds instead of hours.

What type of research is AI best for?

AI works particularly well for gathering product information, summarising articles, collecting statistics, competitor research, and identifying trends.

Which AI tool is best for research?

ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, and Google Gemini are all excellent options. Many people use a combination depending on the type of research they are doing.

Can AI find product descriptions automatically?

Yes. If you provide a product name, code, or brand, AI can search the web and return descriptions, features, and specifications that are already available online.

What is deep research in AI?

Deep research refers to more detailed analysis where AI reviews multiple sources, compares information, and produces structured insights such as reports or competitor analysis.

Can I automate this process?

Yes. You can build custom AI assistants that automatically research products, collect data, and format the results in a structure you choose.

Can AI connect directly to ecommerce platforms like Shopify?

Yes. At a more advanced level, AI agents can be integrated into platforms such as Shopify or websites. This allows AI to automatically gather product information, structure descriptions, and prepare listings ready for review before publishing.