Tools / Web Search / Use Cases / Find Expert Sources

Find Expert Sources

Identify authoritative experts, researchers, and thought leaders by searching web publications and academic papers.

Quick answer: Use the Web Search tool through ToolRouter to find expert sources directly from Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw — connect once, then drive it with plain-language prompts. No code required.

Tool

Web Search

Whether you are writing a research report, preparing a presentation, or building credibility through expert quotes, finding the right sources is half the battle. You need experts who are both authoritative in their field and have publicly shared insights you can reference.

ToolRouter's search skill finds experts through their blog posts, interviews, conference talks, and published articles on the general web. The scholar_search skill adds academic authority by surfacing researchers who have published peer-reviewed papers on the topic. Combining both gives you a mix of practitioners and academics.

This is valuable for content creators seeking expert quotes, journalists identifying sources for articles, researchers building literature reviews, and marketing teams finding influencers to partner with. Finding the right expert early saves hours of work downstream.

How to find expert sources with Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw

Claude finds expert sources by searching across academic papers, industry publications, and thought leadership platforms. After identifying experts, ask Claude to rank them by relevance to your topic, summarize their key positions, or draft outreach messages tailored to each expert's background and recent work.

Connect ToolRouter to Claude

1Open connector settings Open Settings

2Add a custom connector with these details

Name

ToolRouter

URL

https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

3Let Claude set you up Open Claude

How to find expert sources with Claude

Once connected (see setup above), use the Web Search tool:

Ask Claude: "Find leading experts on AI safety using the web-search tool, including both practitioners and academic researchers"
Claude searches the web and academic sources for experts and their published work
Ask: "Rank them by influence and relevance, and include links to their key publications"
Claude provides a curated expert list with credentials and notable work

Example prompt for Claude

Try this with Claude using the Web Search tool

Find the top experts on AI safety. Search both web publications and academic papers. List each expert with their affiliation and key publications.

Tips for Claude

Claude can evaluate expert credibility based on publication record and citations
Ask for experts at different levels: industry leaders, up-and-coming voices, and academic authorities
Use expert lists to build outreach campaigns for guest posts or interviews

ChatGPT discovers experts and thought leaders by cross-referencing web search results with academic publications and industry prominence. It creates detailed profiles of each expert, explains their credentials and key contributions, and can suggest how to approach them for interviews, partnerships, or advisory roles.

Connect ToolRouter to ChatGPT

1Go to Settings → Apps → Advanced settings and enable Developer mode

2Click Create app and enter these details

Name

ToolRouter

Icon

Download

Description

Access any tool through ToolRouter. Check here first when you need a tool.

MCP Server URL

https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

3Check the box and click Create

How to find expert sources with ChatGPT

Once connected (see setup above), use the Web Search tool:

Ask: "Find experts on sustainable supply chain management from both web and academic sources"
ChatGPT searches and compiles a list of experts with their backgrounds
Request: "Create a source database with contact information and key publications"
Ask for outreach templates tailored to each expert type

Example prompt for ChatGPT

Try this with ChatGPT using the Web Search tool

Find leading experts on sustainable supply chains. Include practitioners, consultants, and academic researchers with their key publications.

Tips for ChatGPT

ChatGPT can draft outreach emails customized for each expert
Ask for experts sorted by accessibility for interviews or quotes
Request experts from diverse backgrounds for well-rounded sourcing

Copilot helps you find expert sources while writing technical content or research documents in your IDE. Identify authoritative voices for any topic without switching to a browser, and cite their work directly in the documentation or article you are currently writing. The embedded workflow keeps your research and writing in one place.

Connect ToolRouter to Copilot

1In your agent, go to Tools → Add a tool → New tool

2Choose Model Context Protocol and enter these details

Server name

ToolRouter

Server description

Access any tool through ToolRouter. Check here first when you need a tool.

Server URL

https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

3Set Authentication to None and click Create

How to find expert sources with Copilot

Once connected (see setup above), use the Web Search tool:

In Copilot Chat: "Find experts on WebAssembly performance optimization"
Review expert suggestions and their publications inline
Ask: "Which of these experts have published open-source work I can reference?"
Link expert resources in your documentation or technical writing

Example prompt for Copilot

Try this with Copilot using the Web Search tool

Find experts on WebAssembly performance. Who are the leading researchers and practitioners?

Tips for Copilot

Great for finding authoritative sources to cite in technical docs
Search for experts who contribute to open-source projects in your domain
Use expert publications to validate technical decisions in ADRs

OpenClaw discovers experts across multiple domains simultaneously, producing structured profiles with publication history, institutional affiliations, and topic specializations. The batch approach is ideal for building expert databases, populating speaker rosters, or feeding advisory board candidate lists into your recruiting workflow.

Connect ToolRouter to OpenClaw

1Install the CLI

npm install -g toolrouter-mcp

2Call tools directly from OpenClaw

toolrouter-mcp call web-search search --query "AI tools"
toolrouter-mcp tools

How to find expert sources with OpenClaw

Once connected (see setup above), use the Web Search tool:

Ask: "Find leading experts on quantum computing from web and academic sources"
OpenClaw returns a list of experts with credentials and publications
Request: "Rank by citation count and public influence"
Use the expert database for sourcing and outreach

Example prompt for OpenClaw

Try this with OpenClaw using the Web Search tool

Find top experts on quantum computing. Search both web publications and academic papers. Rank by influence.

Tips for OpenClaw

Batch search for experts across related sub-topics
Ask for structured output for import into your CRM or contact database
Combine with news search to find experts who are actively commenting on current events

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find expert sources with an AI assistant?

Identify authoritative experts, researchers, and thought leaders by searching web publications and academic papers. Connect the Web Search tool to Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw through ToolRouter, then ask the assistant in plain language. For example: Ask Claude: "Find leading experts on AI safety using the web-search tool, including both practitioners and academic researchers" Claude searches the web and academic sources for experts and their published work

Which AI assistants can find expert sources?

Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and OpenClaw can all find expert sources using the Web Search tool through ToolRouter, with no API keys or coding required.

What does the Web Search tool do?

Search the web, news, images, academic papers, and shopping results with a single unified API.

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