Yandex launches AI-integrated search service ‘Yazeka’ for Turkish users

By Sibel Morrow

ISTANBUL (AA) - Yandex has launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-integrated search service developed specifically for Turkish users.

With its user-focused approach, the service, called Yazeka with Yandex Search, aims to provide quick and clear answers to complex queries.

The service aims to deliver the most accurate answers by supporting all online information sources with citations and is expected to transform users' search habits.

The system, developed exclusively for the Turkish market, is available on Android and desktop platforms. The iOS version is expected to be available soon.

Yazeka with Yandex Search redefines traditional search engines by providing summarized answers compiled from multiple sources.

The service saves users time by addressing complex queries that cannot be answered by a single source and includes reliable citations, allowing users to access more detailed information.

Powered by natural language processing technology, the service enables users to phrase their queries naturally.

The AI analyzes these queries to deliver clearer and more accurate results.

For example, users can ask questions like "One-day travel itinerary in Amsterdam" and receive detailed information.

At the launch event for Yazeka, Yandex Search Türkiye General Manager Alexander Popovskiy emphasized that search engines have evolved beyond being mere tools for information retrieval.

“We are now in an era when search engines quickly analyze the request and summarize the result,” he said. “The era when search engines eliminate the need to sort through all those hundreds of blue links.”

“This is the era when search engines ultimately empower end-users to make quick, efficient decisions,” Popovskiy added.

He explained that Yazeka represents a transformation for Yandex, turning it from a traditional search engine into what he called a “finding engine”

When you search for the recipe for the Turkish dessert "güllaç,” Yandex not only provides the recipe but also shows nearby restaurants, along with photos and videos of those places, he added.

"This was the period when Yandex actually started to evolve from the search engine to a comprehensive ecosystem of different services trying to solve customer tasks deeper and fully," Popovskiy said.

*Writing by Muhammed Enes Calli in Istanbul