OpenAI’s Google-style SearchGPT infuses search with AI

OpenAI announced the prototype of an AI-infused search feature, called SearchGPT, which is meant to give users responses backed up by real-time information linked back to sources, in the style of Google.

The AI company behind ChatGPT said that SearchGPT would be released to a small group of publishers and testers in order to get feedback, so the tool is not publicly available.

Much like using Google’s Gemini, SearchGPT users will get responses that rely on up-to-date web information, while many of OpenAI’s models usually have knowledge cut-off dates. Users can add on to their questions in SearchGPT and explore the sources of the answers as well.

OpenAI made a point of stressing that it had partnered with publishers and was engaging with them in order to make their work visible in the ways they chose.

“SearchGPT is designed to help users connect with publishers by prominently citing and linking to them in searches. Responses have clear, in-line, named attribution and links so users know where information is coming from and can quickly engage with even more results in a sidebar with source links,” said OpenAI, adding that sites could be surfaced in SearchGPT results even if they opted out of generative AI training.

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The company behind ChatGPT has faced negative press in the past for its alleged treatment of copyrighted works and its increasing penetration into the journalism and media sector. A lawsuit filed by The New York Times against it on copyright grounds is ongoing.

OpenAI said that it was looking to improve the capability of the SearchGPT tool in areas like local information and commerce, and was sourcing feedback. The AI company invited interested users to join a waitlist so that they could try out SearchGPT themselves.

“For decades, search has been a foundational way for publishers and creators to reach users. Now, we’re using AI to enhance this experience by highlighting high quality content in a conversational interface with multiple opportunities for users to engage,” said OpenAI in a blog post.