OpenAI has introduced SearchGPT, an AI-powered search engine with real-time internet access. Announced on Thursday, SearchGPT is set to compete directly with Google’s longstanding dominance and the growing presence of Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, which already integrates OpenAI’s technology.
OpenAI has initiated a selective launch of SearchGPT, currently in its prototype phase, with testing underway among a small group of users and publishers. The new tool is designed to offer summarised search results accompanied by source links and users will be able to ask follow-up questions for contextual responses.
Shares of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, experienced a 3 per cent decline following the announcement, reflecting the market’s response to the new competition. OpenAI’s entry into the search domain also places it in contention with emerging AI-driven search tools like Perplexity, which is backed by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and semiconductor giant Nvidia.
SearchGPT also represents a big step towards closer collaborations between publishers and AI companies. News Corp and The Atlantic have been named as publishing partners, and OpenAI plans to provide tools for publishers to manage their content’s appearance in search results. This partnership follows content licensing agreements with major organisations including Associated Press and Axel Springer.