OpenAI Enters Search Market with SearchGPT

OpenAI is entering a domain previously dominated by Google with the selective launch of SearchGPT, a search engine fueled by artificial intelligence that provides real-time access to information from the internet

The AI giant is now in competition with its largest backer, Microsoft’s Bing search, and emerging services like Perplexity, a search-focused AI chatbot firm funded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and semiconductor giant Nvidia. This announcement was made on Thursday.

Following OpenAI’s announcement, Alphabet, Google’s parent company experienced a 3% decline in its stock price on Thursday.

OpenAI has announced that the new tool, which is presently in the prototype stage and is being tested with a limited number of users and publishers, is now accepting sign-ups. In the future, the organization intends to incorporate the most advantageous attributes of the search utility into ChatGPT.

Kingsley Crane, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity, stated, “AI-powered search tools from OpenAI and Perplexity re-affirm search as a content engagement model but pressure Google to be better at its own game.”

According to web analytics firm Statcounter, the search engine market is dominated by Google, with a 91.1% proportion as of June.

“OpenAI announced in a blog post that SearchGPT will offer users summarized search results with source links in response to their inquiries.” Users will also be able to obtain contextual responses and ask follow-up inquiries.

Publishers will be granted access to tools that enable them to regulate the visibility of their content in SearchGPT results. SearchGPT is a publishing partnership between The Atlantic and News Corp.

Following content licensing agreements with key organizations such as Associated Press, News Corp, and Axel Springer, SearchGPT indicates a more intense partnership between publishers and OpenAI.

“Newer AI-powered search providers could face challenges of their own, with Perplexity already facing pending legal action from publishers like Wired and Forbes, and Condé Nast,” according to Crane.

Since the initial debut of ChatGPT in November 2022, numerous search engines have been attempting to incorporate AI into their search algorithms. Due to its early investment, Microsoft implemented OpenAI technology for its Bing search engine. In contrast, Google implemented AI-powered summaries for the general public at its developer conference in May.

A query from Reuters regarding the prospective impact of SearchGPT on Google’s business was not responded to.