OpenAI launches its Google and Perplexity.ai challenger, ChatGPT search

OpenAI has just introduced an AI search update for ChatGPT. This public launch comes three months after the company's initial announcement of a SearchGPT prototype, reflecting OpenAI’s evolving vision for the future of AI-driven search.

ChatGPT's new search feature enters a competitive field, facing rivals ranging from emerging startups like Perplexity to major players like Google, which now includes AI Overview results in its search offerings. In 2024, both Google and Perplexity have faced criticism for their AI search tools, with some journalists noting issues such as replicating original content and generating inaccurate information.

Anticipating these challenges, OpenAI secured content licensing agreements with several major publishers – including The Atlantic, Vox Media, and Condé Nast – allowing the company to use these publishers' work for training purposes in exchange for a fee. In other words, the result's quality depends on the quality of OpenAI's media partnerships as well.

To access this new search feature right away, users must subscribe to one of OpenAI’s paid plans. Those on the ChatGPT Plus plan, available for $20 a month, or ChatGPT Teams through an employer, should now have access to the updated experience. OpenAI plans to extend the feature to Enterprise and Edu plan users later in November, with free users likely gaining access early next year.

The search function might feel familiar to those who’ve used Perplexity before: users enter a prompt, and the AI compiles relevant web links to deliver a response that highlights key information. You can ask follow-up questions to refine an ongoing search.

Is ChatGPT’s ability to show current stock charts and sports results groundbreaking on its own? Perhaps not, but within OpenAI's broader strategic vision, this update demonstrates how the company envisions ChatGPT as a versatile, multi-use platform. For instance, users can now engage in audio conversations with the bot, receive document editing assistance, and conduct detailed web searches.

OpenAI says that it plans to keep improving search, particularly in areas like shopping and travel, and leverage its o1 “reasoning” models for “deeper research.”

OpenAI says it incorporated feedback from publisher partners about how ChatGPT Search decides which articles are most relevant to a query, as well as determining the summary length and quotations for articles.

Just days before this launch, news leaked that Meta also has a dedicated AI team working on similar search tools. AI search, once a niche concept, is now a growing area of interest, and more companies are likely to join the field. If user habits shift over the next few years, capturing this next-generation search tool – complete with shopping features and real-time sports updates – could represent a billion-dollar opportunity.