OpenAI debuts ChatGPT Search to rival Google and Microsoft

OpenAI took the world by storm in July 2024 when it announced SearchGPT, an AI-powered search engine prototype branded as a “new way to search.” This bold move positioned OpenAI alongside search industry giants like Alphabet's Google and Microsoft's Bing, sparking widespread interest across the tech space.

By August, reports from Techloy revealed that OpenAI had secured content partnerships with major publishers, including Condé Nast (Vogue, Vanity Fair, Wired), Time magazine, the Financial Times, Axel Springer (owner of Business Insider), France's Le Monde, and Spain's Prisa Media. These partnerships, OpenAI says, were crucial in enhancing SearchGPT’s capabilities and laid a high-quality foundation for its development.

Fast forward to October, OpenAI officially rolled out ChatGPT Search, an evolved version of the initial SearchGPT prototype. But rather than launching as a standalone product, OpenAI chose to integrate the feature directly into the existing ChatGPT interface.

Now available to ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers, the company says it plans to extend access to enterprise, educational, and free users in the coming weeks. For those with access now, OpenAI says ChatGPT Search enables you to access real-time web data, either by manually triggering a search or allowing the AI to decide when to source information.

OpenAI adds further, that the feature will respond with timely, relevant data, positioning it as a user-focused alternative to traditional, ad-heavy search engines like Google. Built on a fine-tuned version of GPT-4o and supported by Microsoft’s Bing, ChatGPT Search will likely use a blend of search technologies to deliver comprehensive results.

OpenAI’s partnerships with media and data providers also help maintain current and reliable content. The integration includes linked citations and a “Sources” sidebar, potentially fostering transparency and trust.

Users can also refine searches with follow-up questions, illustrating what OpenAI calls ChatGPT Search’s personalized, context-aware interactions that will likely set it apart from traditional search tools.

Furthermore, OpenAI spokesperson Niko Felix mentioned that despite live search capabilities, the company would continue refreshing its training data to keep the AI up-to-date. This ongoing approach suggests that OpenAI is dedicated to delivering current, accurate information.

Meanwhile, the introduction of ChatGPT Search bridges a competitive gap with rivals like Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini, which have long offered real-time internet access in their AI solutions. The launch also comes amid a competitive surge in AI-powered search, with Google expanding its AI search summary and Meta reportedly developing its own AI search solution.

Additionally, to address any potential legal issues and avoid a repeat of its copyright problems with The New York Times, OpenAI says its partnerships with media organizations allow for publishers to opt out of OpenAI’s web crawler and ensure the system does not bypass paywalls.

The rollout also follows OpenAI’s significant financial milestone of closing a funding round that valued the company at $157 billion and securing a $4 billion revolving line of credit, boosting its liquidity to over $10 billion.

These achievements underscore OpenAI’s robust financial standing and commitment to innovation, even amidst projections of $5 billion in losses on $3.7 billion in revenue for the year. This financial context offers insight into the competitive pressures driving the company’s swift advancements.

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, has described ChatGPT Search as his “favorite” feature since ChatGPT’s inception and it's not hard to see why. By blending real-time, sourced information with conversational AI, OpenAI could be leading a transformative shift in how users might engage with search tools.

Plans to extend ChatGPT Search to include Advanced Voice Mode, and eventually free users further suggest that the company is looking to reshape the search experience globally. The feature is now available at chatgpt.com⁠, via a Chrome extension, as well as on desktop and mobile apps.