31st Oct 2024
### OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Search, Enhancing Its Competitive Edge in Search Engines
On Thursday 31st Oct 2024, OpenAI unveiled a new search feature within its popular ChatGPT chatbot, positioning the company to better compete with major search engines such as Google, Microsoft’s Bing, and Perplexity. This new capability, which offers real-time updates on sports scores, stock prices, news, weather, and more, was initially tested in July under the name SearchGPT before being officially integrated into ChatGPT.
The announcement follows OpenAI’s recent funding round that closed earlier this month, valuing the company at $157 billion and providing a $4 billion revolving line of credit.
The introduction of ChatGPT search poses a significant challenge to Google, the current leader in search. Since the debut of ChatGPT in November 2022, concerns have arisen among Alphabet investors regarding OpenAI potentially capturing market share from Google by offering innovative ways for users to search for information online. Following the news, Alphabet’s shares saw a slight decline of about 1%.
This development also enhances OpenAI’s competitive stance against Microsoft, which has invested nearly $14 billion in the startup. However, OpenAI’s offerings now directly compete with Microsoft’s own AI tools and search solutions, such as Copilot and Bing.
During a Reddit AMA on Thursday, OpenAI’s VP of Engineering, Srinivas Narayanan, addressed a question about the underlying search technology, confirming that “we use a set of services, and Bing is an important one.”
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed excitement about the new search feature, stating it is his “favorite feature” launched since ChatGPT’s introduction. He noted that users can now search in a “more natural, intuitive way” and engage in follow-up questions as if conversing with a person. The search model utilizes an advanced version of OpenAI’s most powerful AI model, GPT-4o, and incorporates content from third-party search providers and news partners.
“I find it to be a much faster and easier way to access the information I need,” Altman remarked during the AMA, highlighting its potential for handling complex research inquiries. He also envisions a future where search queries could dynamically create customized web pages.
In a blog post, OpenAI indicated that user feedback from the SearchGPT prototype has informed the final product, with plans to enhance the search experience in areas like shopping and travel. The system will automatically perform web searches based on user queries, while users can also manually initiate searches by clicking a designated icon within ChatGPT.
Responses generated by ChatGPT will now include links to sources, which users can access through a “Sources” button, providing direct access to articles and blog posts. OpenAI collaborated with several news organizations, including The Associated Press, Reuters, Axel Springer, Condé Nast, Hearst, Dotdash Meredith, the Financial Times, News Corp., Le Monde, The Atlantic, Time, and Vox Media.
Starting Thursday 31st Oct 2024, ChatGPT search will be available to all ChatGPT Plus and Team users, as well as members of the SearchGPT waitlist. Access will extend to ChatGPT Enterprise and Edu users in the coming weeks, with plans to roll out to free version users over the next few months.
OpenAI’s latest funding round, which raised $6.6 billion from a range of investment firms and technology companies, brings its valuation to $157 billion. The company’s total liquidity now exceeds $10 billion, bolstered by a $4 billion revolving line of credit. However, OpenAI anticipates significant losses of around $5 billion against projected revenues of $3.7 billion this year, as confirmed by CNBC in September.
In recent months, OpenAI has faced scrutiny over its transition to a for-profit model and a wave of executive departures. Former safety team leader Jan Leike commented on X while resigning, stating that the “safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products” at the company.
