OpenAI Introduces Real-Time Search in ChatGPT to Compete with Google
OpenAI is enhancing its artificial intelligence (AI) bot, ChatGPT, with new capabilities to challenge Google’s dominance as the leading search engine. The New ChatGPT Feature introduces real-time search, enabling the bot to deliver up-to-date answers and relevant links instantly. Currently, this tool is available to a limited number of users in the US but is expected to be fully incorporated into ChatGPT, which gained widespread attention for AI when it debuted in 2022.
OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, has steadily expanded its toolset since ChatGPT’s launch. New features include coding, video creation, data analysis, and image generation. The new search feature lets users ask follow-up questions, making the search process faster and easier.
Enhancing Conversational Capabilities
“Getting answers on the web can take a lot of effort, often requiring multiple attempts to get relevant results,” OpenAI said in its announcement. “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.”
AI chatbots are seen as the future of search, a market currently dominated by Google with over 90% control. Following OpenAI’s announcement, shares in Google’s parent company, Alphabet, dropped nearly 3%, highlighting the competitive pressure.
Addressing Environmental and Publisher Concerns
AI-driven search is gaining enthusiasm, but its expansion raises environmental concerns. This is due to the high energy consumption. The shift from traditional search results to conversational responses challenges news companies. They rely on search traffic for revenue.
OpenAI is working with publishers like the Atlantic and News Corp to address these concerns. “We are committed to a thriving ecosystem of publishers and creators,” the company stated. “In addition to launching the SearchGPT prototype, we are also launching a way for publishers to manage how they appear in SearchGPT, so publishers have more choices.”
Legal and Partnership Landscape
OpenAI has faced legal challenges, including a lawsuit from the New York Times over content use. However, it has partnered with media outlets like the Associated Press, ensuring media companies can still be featured, even if they opt out of training material.
Future Implications
The integration of real-time search in the New ChatGPT Feature marks a major step forward for OpenAI. As competition intensifies, users will see more innovative ways to access information.