In a significant move to challenge Googles dominance, OpenAI has unveiled SearchGPT, an AI-powered search engine with real-time internet access. Led by CEO Sam Altman, the company announced that SearchGPT will initially be available as a prototype in a limited release, with plans to integrate it into ChatGPT eventually.OpenAIs blog post highlighted the unique features of SearchGPT, emphasising its design to help users connect with publishers by prominently citing and linking to them in searches. SearchGPT is designed to help users connect with publishers by prominently citing and linking to them in searches. Responses 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 blog read.The launch of SearchGPT comes amid reports that OpenAIs AI training and inference costs could soar to $7 billion this year, driven by the increasing number of users on the free version of ChatGPT. The Information reported these rising costs, reflecting the significant financial implications of maintaining such a vast user base.User experience and interfaceWhen users access SearchGPT, they are greeted with a large textbox asking, What are you looking for Unlike traditional search engines that return a list of links, SearchGPT aims to organize and interpret the information, making it more accessible and understandable for users.Powered by the GPT-4 family of models, SearchGPT will initially be available to 10,000 test users. OpenAI spokesperson Kayla Wood mentioned that the company is collaborating with third-party partners and utilising direct content feeds to build its search results.Competition with Google and other AI startupsSearchGPTs launch marks the beginning of what could be a significant challenge to Googles dominance in the search engine market. Google has already accelerated the development of AI features in its search engines in response to this new competition. Additionally, OpenAI could face competition from AI startups like Perplexity, which positions itself as an AI “answer” engine.Initial launch and advertising modelDuring its initial launch phase, SearchGPT will be free and ad-free. This approach aims to attract users and demonstrate the search engines capabilities without the interference of advertisements.With SearchGPT, OpenAI is not just entering the search engine market but also pushing the boundaries of how AI can enhance and revolutionise the way we access information online.
