Whether it's a group of scientists, or women knitting or men drinking beer, it is much the same tool. Google or other search software approximates the same thing. What is it? TALK!
I haven't worked with Artificial Intelligence because so far, I haven't needed it.
I can't get my mother-in-law to like me.
My dog is acting funny.
Etc.
Discussion often involves a problem or a discovery. Sometimes, it's appreciation: did you see that game last night?
I guess it is quite possible that software or human wetware in the form of brainpower influences or edits possibly related searches that have been performed.
These days, advertisers or their employees or their web pages are often getting the way of pure thinking. When I think of traveling to Rio, I may not immediately want to price plane flights but the heck with what I want. They will just show me several pages of links to airlines, rooms, alternative trips they run to other Brazil destinations. Sometimes, it helps keep to the subject I want if I put quote marks around the search terms I want.
And yes, I include the helpful subject of Writing in addition to TALK since I can read comments made by people all over the world and from many time periods.
