OpenAI Launches Web Search in ChatGPT, Setting Sights on Google and Bing

OpenAI announced the addition of a new web search feature to ChatGPT, marking a significant enhancement that propels the popular AI chatbot into direct competition with search giants Google and Microsoft Bing. Rather than launching a standalone search product, OpenAI opted to embed the feature into ChatGPT, enabling users to receive real-time, relevant web-based responses directly within the chatbot.

The search model, based on a fine-tuned version of GPT-4, will leverage information from third-party search providers and partners, offering linked sources for accuracy. Currently, the new search function is accessible to ChatGPT Plus and Team users, with plans to extend it to enterprise, educational customers, and free users over the coming months.

“ChatGPT search combines input from multiple sources, including trusted third-party providers and our content partners, to deliver high-quality answers,” OpenAI shared in a blog post. Over the past year, OpenAI has formed content partnerships with notable publishers such as Condé Nast, Time magazine, and Business Insider-owner Axel Springer, as well as major European outlets like France’s Le Monde and Spain’s Prisa Media.

This expanded search capability, coined SearchGPT during its selective prototype release in July, demonstrates OpenAI’s vision of aligning advanced AI models with current information needs. With the additional $6.6 billion funding raised in October, potentially valuing the company at $157 billion, OpenAI is positioned as one of the most valuable private tech companies globally.

The introduction of ChatGPT search arrives amidst rising competition, with Amazon-backed Perplexity and Microsoft’s AI-enhanced Bing already active in the AI-powered search domain. As the demand for fast and accurate AI-driven information grows, OpenAI’s ChatGPT search feature sets a new standard in AI usability and accessibility.