OpenAI launches SearchGPT to compete with Google, Bing

OpenAI has announced its entry into the search engine market with the unveiling of SearchGPT, a search feature designed to provide “timely answers” to user queries by drawing from web sources.

This move positions OpenAI to compete with major players like Google and Bing, as well as newer search engines like Perplexity.

SearchGPT’s user interface resembles that of OpenAI’s chatbot platform, ChatGPT. Users can type in queries, and SearchGPT responds with information, images, and links to relevant sources. The feature also allows follow-up questions and related searches in a sidebar.

Some searches on SearchGPT incorporate the user’s location. OpenAI’s support documentation states that SearchGPT “collects and shares” general location information with third-party search providers to enhance result accuracy, such as showing nearby restaurants or local weather forecasts. Users can share precise location information through a settings toggle.

SearchGPT, powered by OpenAI models (specifically GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and GPT-4o), is currently in a prototype phase and available to “a small group” of users and publishers. There is a waitlist for broader access. OpenAI plans to integrate some SearchGPT features into ChatGPT in the future.

In a blog post, OpenAI explained the motivation behind SearchGPT: “Getting answers on the web can take a lot of effort, often requiring multiple attempts to get relevant results. We believe that by enhancing the conversational capabilities of our models with real-time information from the web, finding what you’re looking for can be faster and easier.”

The launch of SearchGPT comes amidst concerns over AI-powered search tools and their issues with plagiarism, inaccuracies, and content cannibalism. Previous AI search tools, including those from Google and Perplexity, have faced criticism for errors and unethical content-sourcing practices.

OpenAI is positioning SearchGPT as a responsible and measured deployment. The company emphasizes that SearchGPT “prominently cites and links” to publishers with clear attribution and is working with publishers to design the experience. OpenAI also provides a way for website owners to manage how their content appears in search results.

“Importantly, SearchGPT is about search and is separate from training OpenAI’s generative AI foundation models. Sites can be surfaced in search results even if they opt out of generative AI training,” OpenAI clarified. “We are committed to a thriving ecosystem of publishers and creators.”

Despite OpenAI’s assurances, skepticism remains, particularly given past controversies involving the company’s data practices. The effectiveness and ethical implications of SearchGPT will unfold as the service becomes more widely available.