OpenAI launches SearchGPT, a direct blow to Google

With this search engine, users will see a large text box with the question "What are you looking for?" (What are you looking for?). The results returned are not a simple list of links, but SearchGPT attempts to organize and interpret the information.

OpenAI gives an example showing how SearchGPT summarizes findings about music festivals, then presents brief descriptions of the events with source links.

In another example, before analyzing different types of plants, the search engine offers an explanation of when to plant tomatoes. Once the results appear, users can click the sidebar to open other related links or ask follow-up questions.

This tool also has a feature called "visual answers", but the specific way this feature works has not been revealed by Open AI.

Currently, this search engine is just a prototype. To use SearchGPT in the future, users need to sign up for OpenAI's waiting list. only 10,000 test users had access at launch. This service is supported by GPT-4 models.

OpenAI is working with third-party partners and using live feeds to build search results to integrate search features directly into ChatGPT.

This move by OpenAI shows the company's efforts in the race to build a powerful AI chatbot, to compete with Google, the giant that has dominated the online search field for the past two decades.

The rise of generative AI and the battle for future search market share could change the trajectory of both companies. Google is trying to protect profits while OpenAI is looking for new revenue sources.

Lesley Montoya

Update 26 July 2024