ChatGPT Search allows users to search the web for information and images. A Search button is available in the chat window, where users normally ask questions.
The introduction of ChatGPT Search had been in the air for a while. In July, OpenAI unveiled SearchGPT, a first step toward a search engine. It differed from traditional search engines by not simply displaying a list of relevant websites but listing the sources directly behind the answer.
The new Search button lets you look up current information, such as sports scores, news, and local weather. The link to relevant sources is also shown here. Furthermore, it is possible to ask follow-up questions for refined search results. For this functionality, ChatGPT uses the powerful GPT-4o model. In addition, ChatGPT can assess whether your question is better answered through Search or the traditional LLM workflow. Below is an example of a chat conversation when Search is used.
OpenAI has strengthened partnerships with media and data providers to provide up-to-date information. Users thus get to see sources from highly regarded platforms. Associated Press, Axel Springer, Condé Nast, Dotdash Meredith, Financial Times, GEDI, Hearst, Le Monde, News Corp, Prisa (El País), Reuters, The Atlantic, Time, and Vox Media appear as search results.
Battle with Google
Now that ChatGPT Search is available, OpenAI continues to compete with Google. Since its launch in late 2022, ChatGPT has grown into a popular tool in a short time, with more and more users using it to find information instead of Google. Google then introduced Bard in response, but OpenAI is taking another step further by turning ChatGPT into a comprehensive search engine. OpenAI has even developed a browser extension that allows ChatGPT Search to be set as the default search engine in Chrome.
All ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers have access to Search effective immediately. The search feature will become available for Enterprise and Edu users in a few weeks, and users of the free ChatGPT version can expect it in the coming months.
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