What is SearchGPT? How to Try it and Understand Search Prototype

In May 2024, rumours were circulating that OpenAI was gearing up to launch its search engine to rival Google. Two months later, these rumours were confirmed with the announcement of SearchGPT. 

In a blog post published on July 25, 2024, the company announced that it is testing SearchGPT, a “prototype of new search features designed to combine the strength of our AI models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources.”

As of now, Search GPT is only available to a small group of users and publishers for testing. OpenAI intends to integrate the best of these capabilities straight into ChatGPT in the future, even though this prototype is temporary at the moment. 

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How will SearchGPT work?

SearchGPT will combine advanced artificial intelligence models with real-time web information to deliver fast and accurate answers to user queries. This AI-powered search engine will respond to the user’s questions promptly and directly, using up-to-date material from the web. It would also provide clear links to relevant sources.

Also, users will be able to ask follow-up questions, just like they would in a conversation with a person, with the shared context expanding with each query. The responses will 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.”

The company has also partnered with publishers and innovators. OpenAI is introducing tools for publishers to manage their appearance in SearchGPT results. SearchGPT’s search capabilities are separate from training OpenAI’s generative AI foundation models. This means that sites will be included in search results even if they choose to opt out of generative AI training.

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How to try SearchGPT?

Currently, SearchGPT’s prototype is only available for a limited number of people for testing and feedback purposes. Interested users and publishers will need to join a waitlist to try SearchGPT. 

This prototype delivers a look into the future of AI-powered search by merging the most recent advances in AI technology with real-time data to provide a more efficient and interactive search experience.

It is currently unknown when SearchGPT will be made publicly available. 

Why is it important?

The launch of SearchGPT by OpenAI is important because it represents a significant advancement in the search engine market, challenging the dominance of Google and Microsoft. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize how users search for information by providing more accurate, conversational, and context-aware responses. By leveraging AI to enhance search capabilities, OpenAI aims to improve user experience and set new benchmarks for search engine technology, making information retrieval more efficient and intuitive. This could lead to broader AI adoption and integration across various digital platforms.

What’s the news behind it?

OpenAI has launched SearchGPT, an AI-powered search engine designed to compete with Google and Microsoft Bing. It provides direct answers to queries and allows conversational follow-up questions. The system uses a combination of licensed content from major publishers and web-crawled data. While OpenAI is exploring ways to embed metadata, the initiative is in its early stages and faces internal debates on its potential impact and user acceptance. This launch is part of a larger trend of integrating AI into search engines to enhance functionality and the user experience.

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The Bottom Line

Yahoo used to be king of search engines in the early days of the internet, but then Google came and completely disrupted the entire search community. For decades, Google has dominated the search engine market, leaving little room for competitors to challenge its supremacy. 

However, with the development of innovative technologies like SearchGPT, there may be a chance for new players to enter the search engine market and offer users a different, more personalized search experience. 

We have to wait and watch to see how SearchGPT will fare against established giants like Google and Bing. 

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