OpenAI SearchGPT Announced: Will It Replace Google?

Key Takeaways

• OpenAI has started piloting a new AI search feature called SearchGPT.
• The company plans to integrate AI search into ChatGPT.
• AI is transforming how people search for information online and SearchGPT could threaten Google’s dominance.

The emergence of AI chatbots in recent times has dramatically altered the way many people access information online. But search engines like Google still play a crucial role and current trends suggest the future of the digital information economy lies in a hybrid model that enhances traditional search with conversational AI. 

To that end, OpenAI has started testing  “SearchGPT” —a new AI platform designed to answer questions with up-to-date information from the web while providing links to relevant sources.

What Is SearchGPT?

SearchGPT is a prototype technology built by OpenAI to enhance online search by combining its GPT language models with real-time web information. 

While ChatGPT already provides links if requested, the new platform is designed to more closely approximate traditional search engines, organizing information into a browsable format with information extracted from websites summarized by AI. 

Just as Google Search integrates features that prioritize certain sources over others, OpenAI said it is partnering with publishers to ensure the new platform highlights high-quality content. It also intends to launch tools for publishers to manage how they appear in SearchGPT.

How Does SearchGPT Compare to Google?

OpenAI’s announcement comes at a time when Google, the current market leader in internet search, is also integrating more AI features into its platforms. 

Leveraging the power of large language models to refine answers from multiple sources, the platform resembles Google’s AI Overviews, which the Big Tech firm launched to mixed reviews in May. 

The emerging AI search product emphasizes speed and efficiency, using machine learning to present information in a more digestible format than the traditional search engine results page. 

Google’s AI Overviews Flop

Although Google executives have made it clear they believe AI search is the future, the Gemini-powered AI Overviews is being rolled out in stages and isn’t currently available in all markets. 

Upon initial launch earlier this year, the new feature made headlines for generating inaccurate and even dangerous responses to queries.

Some of the more bizarre outputs included that a dog had played in the NFL and that gasoline could be used to cook spaghetti.  

With examples of the phenomenon going viral, Google blamed satirical content and mischievous users intentionally trying to elicit absurd responses. In a bid to fix the issue, the Big Tech company said it had built better detection mechanisms for nonsensical queries and limited the inclusion of satirical and humorous content.

Timeline For SearchGPT Release Date

For now, OpenAI has only released a prototype of SearchGPT to a small group of users and publishers to get feedback. 

The company plans to integrate the new capabilities directly into ChatGPT in the future. However, it has not committed to a specific release date.

Until then, users who are interested in trying the platform can sign up for the waitlist on OpenAI’s website.

About the Author

James Morales

Although his background is in crypto and FinTech news, these days, James likes to roam across CCN’s editorial breadth, focusing mostly on digital technology. Having always been fascinated by the latest innovations, he uses his platform as a journalist to explore how new technologies work, why they matter and how they might shape our future.

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