ChatGPT gained the ability to search the internet late last year, but there’s a difference between an AI chatbot that can use live information and a full AI search engine like Google AI Overviews or Perplexity. Shortly after Microsoft announced that it’s working on Generative Search for Bing, OpenAI announced SearchGPT, its own entry into the space.
Powered by GPT-4 models, SearchGPT is something between a chatbot and a list of links, giving it a more conversational feel than competing options. You’ll start off your search with a simple question, then get some basic info, a curated selection of links, and a prompt to ask a follow-up question. In examples, the interface is clean and doesn’t necessarily pop up AI-drafted paragraphs on every search, which could help the chatbot avoid the stumbles of Google’s AI Overviews. It instead relies on you to direct it, but you’ll be able to ask for longer, more detailed responses if you like.
Users will also be able to summon a sidebar with additional links, letting them access a more traditional experience. The Verge also reports that OpenAI told it about a feature called “visual answers,” but wouldn’t go into detail. Given the photo logo on the side bar, I would assume it’s similar to Google Images, but with AI.
OpenAI promises that SearchGPT will give “clear links to relevant sources,” and preview examples show that all drafted information is clearly tied to specific websites through in-body parenthetical citations. This could help SearchGPT avoid the hot water that Perplexity has landed in after being accused of stealing content, although even with sources, the legality of simply relying information directly rather than forcing users to click through has been called out in countries like Australia.
Like Bing Generative Search, SearchGPT isn’t quite yet ready for the light of day. Currently a prototype, it will first launch “to a small group of users and publishers to get feedback.” It’s also launching a tool for publishers to control how they appear in the engine. OpenAI spokesperson Kayla Woods told The Verge that the testing pool will start at 10,000 users, but you can sign up for the waitlist here. There’s currently no word on whether SearchGPT will implement any paywalls.
