OpenAI has officially launched SearchGPT, an AI-powered search engine, integrated directly into its popular ChatGPT chatbot.
ChatGPT has been capable of web searches for a few months, but this is the first foray into a fully-fledged search function.
This strategic move marks OpenAI's first direct challenge to Google's long-standing dominance in the internet search market, positioning the company alongside competitors like Microsoft’s Bing and emerging services such as Perplexity.
On October 31, 2024, OpenAI unveiled SearchGPT to its ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers, with plans to extend access to free, enterprise, and educational users in the coming weeks.
Unlike traditional search engines that operate as standalone platforms, SearchGPT is seamlessly integrated into the ChatGPT interface. This integration allows users to initiate web searches within their conversational interactions, providing timely and relevant information without the need to switch platforms, keeping users in the ChatGPT platform as an all-in-one experience.
During a pre-launch demo, Adam Fry, ChatGPT’s search lead, demonstrated SearchGPT’s capabilities by querying real-time data such as Apple’s stock performance and upcoming earnings reports. The responses included interactive elements like stock graphs and clickable citations, enhancing user experience with visually engaging and easily navigable information.
Another example showcased SearchGPT’s ability to locate Italian restaurants in San Francisco, presenting an interactive map with recommended venues and allowing users to refine their searches based on specific preferences.
It can be activated from the main interface as seen below and provides a mixture of results.
For instance, if searching for ‘Donald Trump’, you receive biographical information, as well as links to recent news on the presidential candidate.
When users are searching for information on how to accomplish a task, instructions are given, alongside source references.
“The search model is a fine-tuned version of GPT-4o, post-trained using novel synthetic data generation techniques, including distilling outputs from OpenAI o1-preview. ChatGPT search leverages third-party search providers, as well as content provided directly by our partners, to provide the information users are looking for.” - OpenAI
In an ironic turn, you can make ChatGPT your default search engine on the Google Chrome browser by downloading this Chrome Extension.
Ad-Free Experience: One of SearchGPT’s most notable differences from Google is its ad-free environment. While Google generates significant revenue through advertising in search results, OpenAI has stated that there are currently no plans to incorporate ads into SearchGPT. This creates a cleaner, more focused search experience for users, free from the clutter of promoted content.
Interactive & Contextual Results: SearchGPT offers concise summaries of web content, supplemented by interactive features such as maps and graphs. Unlike Google’s AI-generated summaries, which primarily aim to answer queries directly, SearchGPT emphasizes providing actionable insights with source attribution. Users can engage in follow-up questions, refining their searches in real time to obtain more specific results without initiating a new query.
Publisher Control and Transparency: OpenAI has partnered with major publishers, including the Associated Press, Financial Times, News Corp, Axel Springer, and Reuters, to ensure reliable and authoritative search results. Publishers have the option to manage their presence in SearchGPT’s results or opt-out entirely, providing transparency and control over their content usage. This collaboration aims to enhance factual accuracy and reduce the incidence of "hallucinations"—instances where AI generates incorrect or misleading information.
The introduction of SearchGPT is poised to significantly influence the SEO and broader search landscape. As AI-powered search becomes more integrated into conversational interfaces, traditional SEO strategies may need to evolve to maintain visibility and engagement.
We also need to manage our search traffic expectations as users searching with informational intent aren't likely to click onto a website anymore. Featuring in AI SERPs however, can still expose customers to brands and transactional searches may be less affected.
To succeed in SearchGPT’s ecosystem, websites must adopt strategies that align with its AI-driven approach:
Optimise with structured data: Implementing structured data (schema markup) helps SearchGPT understand and categorise website content more effectively, as it does with traditional search engines. For SearchGPT this facilitates the accurate and relevant summaries it needs to build trust. For website owners, structured data could increase the chances of appearing in these results.
Enhance content authority: Focus on creating in-depth, authoritative content that addresses specific queries within your niche. Establishing expertise and reliability can position your site as a go-to source for accurate information. Ultimately, search engines and SearchGPT have little reason to feature your content if the subject is already covered better elsewhere. Find something new to say or a different angle.
Craft clear, concise summaries: Structure content to include clear headings, bullet points, and concise explanations. This format is more likely to be interpreted correctly by AI, making it easier for SearchGPT to generate accurate summaries.
Interaction and experience signals: User engagement metrics like click-through and time on page are key for AI-driven ranking. Adding interactive features (quizzes, polls, multimedia, strong CTAs, and internal links) can boost these signals by increasing time on the page and reducing bounce rates. They can also help website owners retain the traffic they get from AI searches, which is valuable considering clicks may be fewer.
Importance of content recency: AI search favours up-to-date information. By regularly reviewing and updating older content with fresh insights, and revising publish dates, you can signal timeliness to AI systems, boosting relevance for current user searches.
The launch of SearchGPT signifies a pivotal moment in the evolution of AI-powered search technologies. By integrating real-time search capabilities directly into ChatGPT, OpenAI is not only challenging Google’s dominance but also setting new standards for how users interact with search engines.
As SearchGPT continues to develop and expand its features, it will likely drive significant changes in SEO practices and the overall search landscape.
For businesses and marketers, adapting to this new paradigm involves focusing on authoritative content, structured data, and user-centric design to maintain and enhance visibility in an increasingly AI-driven search environment.
As the competition intensifies with players like Microsoft’s Bing and emerging services such as Perplexity, the future of search promises to be more interactive, accurate, and user-focused than ever before.
Stay ahead of the curve – optimise your Website for SearchGPT today.
Proud to partner with
