OpenAI Launches SearchGPT to Compete with Google

OpenAI Enters the Search Arena with SearchGPT, Aiming to Compete with Google and Bing

OpenAI is setting its sights on the search market with the introduction of SearchGPT, a feature designed to provide "timely answers" to users’ inquiries by leveraging web sources. With this move, OpenAI is positioning itself as a contender not only against newcomers like Perplexity but also established giants such as Google and Bing.

From a user interface perspective, SearchGPT closely resembles OpenAI's existing chatbot platform, ChatGPT. Users can enter queries, after which SearchGPT delivers relevant information, images, and direct links from the web. This system also features a sidebar for follow-up questions and additional related searches.

To enhance the relevance of searches, some queries are tailored to the user’s location. In a support document, OpenAI explains that SearchGPT “collects and shares” general location data with third-party providers to refine search accuracy. For instance, it can generate localized results such as nearby restaurants or weather updates. A user-friendly toggle in the settings menu allows for sharing more precise location details.

Built on OpenAI’s advanced models, specifically GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and GPT-4o, SearchGPT is launching today as a prototype for a limited group of users and publishers, with a waitlist available. OpenAI envisions integrating certain elements of SearchGPT into ChatGPT in the future.

"Finding answers on the web can often be tedious, requiring multiple attempts to uncover relevant results," states OpenAI in a blog post. “By enriching our models’ conversational capabilities with real-time web information, we aim to make it quicker and easier for users to find what they need.”

Though the idea of launching a search tool capable of rivaling Google has circulated for some time, the timing of SearchGPT's debut is particularly critical. AI-powered search tools have faced scrutiny over issues such as plagiarism and content inaccuracies. Examples abound, including Google’s AI Overviews recommending bizarre instructions like putting glue on pizza, and other search engines giving nonsensical or harmful suggestions, which have raised eyebrows in the media landscape.

Amid concerns that AI-generated summaries could divert traffic away from original content sources, OpenAI has positioned SearchGPT as a responsible solution. The company assures users that SearchGPT "prominently cites and links" to publishers with "clear, in-line, named attribution." OpenAI is also collaborating with website owners to enable them to control how their content appears in search results.

"It’s important to clarify that SearchGPT focuses on search and operates independently of the training of OpenAI's generative AI models. Websites can appear in search results even if they opt out of being included in generative AI training," OpenAI emphasizes in its blog post, underscoring its commitment to fostering a vibrant ecosystem of publishers and creators.

Skepticism lingers given OpenAI's past practices, including the unauthorized scraping of YouTube transcripts to train its models. As the SearchGPT narrative unfolds, its impact on the search landscape will be closely watched.