OpenAI's ChatGPT Search Now Available as Google Alternative

OpenAI today announced the addition of ChatGPT Search to ChatGPT, allowing for improved AI-based internet searches. OpenAI says that ChatGPT is able to search the web "in a much better way than before," with the chatbot able to provide links to relevant web sources like a traditional search engine.

ChatGPT Search uses ChatGPT-4o, and it is available now on the ChatGPT website and in the desktop and mobile apps for those who have ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Teams. ChatGPT users who have been on the SearchGPT waitlist will also have access today, with OpenAI planning to bring the feature to enterprise and education users in the next few weeks. ChatGPT Search will roll out to all free users over the coming months.

Searches can be initiated based on what you ask or by clicking on the web search icon in the ChatGPT interface. With ChatGPT Search, you can ask a question using conversational language and get web info, along with more information through follow-up questions. ChatGPT maintains context, so the entire conversation can be used to get a tailored answer to a query.

OpenAI says that it has partnered with news and data providers to offer up-to-date information for categories like weather, stocks, sports, news, and maps. Searches with ChatGPT will include links to sources like news articles and blog posts for learning more about an answer. The sources button below the response will provide a sidebar with all of the references used.

OpenAI has partnered with multiple media companies, including Axel Springer, Condé Nast, Dotdash Meredith, Financial Times, GEDI, Hearst, Le Monde, News Corp, Prisa (El País), Reuters, The Atlantic, Time, and Vox Media. Websites and publishers can opt-in to appearing in ChatGPT searches.

SearchGPT, a prototype AI search engine, was introduced earlier this year, and OpenAI tested it with a select group of users before rolling out ChatGPT search integration.