Introduction to SearchGPT
OpenAI is launching SearchGPT, an AI-powered search engine with real-time access to information across the internet. The search engine features a large textbox asking users, “What are you looking for?” Instead of just listing links, SearchGPT organizes and makes sense of them.
Features and Examples
For example, when searching for music festivals, SearchGPT summarizes its findings and presents short descriptions of the events, followed by attribution links. In another instance, it explains when to plant tomatoes and breaks down different varieties of the plant. After the results appear, users can ask follow-up questions or click the sidebar for more links. There’s also a feature called “visual answers,” but details on this are still pending.
Limited Access and Integration Plans
SearchGPT is currently a prototype. It will only be accessible to 10,000 test users at launch. OpenAI spokesperson Kayla Wood says they are working with third-party partners and using direct content feeds to build search results. The ultimate goal is to integrate these search features directly into ChatGPT.
Competition and Market Impact
This launch could become a significant threat to Google, which has been integrating AI features into its search engine to stay competitive. It also puts OpenAI in direct competition with Perplexity, an AI “answer” engine. Perplexity recently faced criticism for its AI summaries feature, with publishers claiming it was ripping off their work.
