Google, Watch Out: SearchGPT Prototype is Here

Google should start looking over its shoulder because OpenAI is stepping into the search game with SearchGPT, an AI-powered search engine that's set to revolutionize the way we find information online. Unveiled on July 25, 2024, SearchGPT is a prototype designed to make your searches more organized and intuitive.


This new player in the search market is powered by OpenAI's impressive GPT-4 models, with real-time internet access. Unlike traditional search engines that bombard you with a plain list of links, SearchGPT kicks off with a big textbox asking, "What are you looking for?" From there, it crafts a neat summary of its findings, complete with concise descriptions and attribution links.

One of the standout features is the ability to ask follow-up questions or explore related links in a sidebar. There's even a mysterious "visual answers" feature that OpenAI hasn't fully explained yet. For now, though, SearchGPT is just a prototype, limited to 10,000 test users, as OpenAI spokesperson Kayla Wood shared. The company is working with third-party partners and using direct content feeds to build its search results, aiming to eventually integrate these features directly into ChatGPT.

This prototype is a significant move in the ongoing search engine wars. Google has been frantically adding AI features to its search engine, trying to stay ahead of competitors. OpenAI's approach is a direct challenge, especially since they're making a point to collaborate with news organizations like The Wall Street Journal and Vox Media. Unlike rivals like Perplexity, which faced backlash for allegedly copying publishers' work, OpenAI is ensuring that publishers have control over how their content appears in SearchGPT.

Launching SearchGPT as a prototype gives OpenAI some breathing room. If there are any hiccups or inaccuracies, they can fall back on the fact that it's still a work in progress. The buzz around this new product has been building for months, with reports from The Information and Bloomberg hinting at its development earlier this year. OpenAI has also been quietly recruiting talent from Google to bolster its search team.

This prototype marks a new chapter in OpenAI's efforts to blend ChatGPT with real-time web access. When GPT-3.5 was released, it was already months out of date. Last year, OpenAI introduced a feature called Browse with Bing, but it was pretty basic compared to what SearchGPT promises.

Despite the excitement, OpenAI is facing hefty operational costs, reportedly up to $7 billion this year. SearchGPT will be free during its initial launch, and with no ads at the start, OpenAI will need to figure out how to make it financially viable. For now, though, it's clear that OpenAI is not just testing a new search engine – they're gearing up to give Google a run for its money.

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