進化する検索エンジン — キーワードはセレンディピティ

本稿では検索エンジンの進化を俯瞰し、特にAlfredというアプリに焦点をあててセレンディピティ・エンジンの実際を体験し、さらにセレンディピティの概念を取り入れたアプリやサービスをいくつか紹介して、検索エンジンやその他のサービスの将来像を描く一助としたい。

'Serendipity', a word referring to the ability to discover unexpected happiness owing to wisdom and chance, is now frequently being associated with developments in search /recommendation engines and social media. It is said that a large portion of inventions and discoveries throughout history have been products of serendipity, and it is widely thought that with this ability, people can expect a richer and happier life, although in reality not everyone can possess and exercise such ability.
One possible way of helping anyone experience serendipitous discoveries would be to equip search/recommendation engines with this capacity. Such a 'Serendipity Engine' would curate information among the ocean of content on the Internet, providing users with most desirable information regardless of their intentions. Search engine technology is presently evolving toward serendipity. More precise and relevant recommendations are being made possible through interaction with social media, and a wide variety of applications and services are also adopting the concept of serendipity.
As a means to help readers get an insight into the future of search engines and other related services, this report gives a brief overview of the evolution of search/recommendation engines; exemplifies the reality of a serendipity engine by focusing on a serendipitous recommendation application, Alfred; and introduces some applications and services that have adopted the concept of serendipity.