Some ChatGPT users can now search the web with ChatGPT search, OpenAI announced today.
ChatGPT has been able to search the web for several months, but today’s update is part of OpenAI’s larger push into AI search.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT search has an opportunity to challenge Google’s search monopoly with a much different user experience (e.g., less clutter, less search features, no ads).
Why we care. We’ve long waited to see what OpenAI’s search product. Now it’s here. While it’s too early to tell what impact ChatGPT search will have on Google, we know that SearchGPT (despite having a small user base) was already sending more referral traffic to brands than other AI engines like Perplexity and Claude.
How to search. Go to ChatGPT, click on the web search icon, and enter your query. Here’s what ChatGPT’s search icon looks like:
Categories. ChatGPT search includes up-to-date information and unique visual designs in these specific categories:
Weather.
Stocks.
Sports.
News.
Maps.
Sources. ChatGPT search will cite its sources via inline citations and a Sources button underneath its responses (answers) to queries. Clicking the button opens a sidebar of links, called Citations.
Availability. To use ChatGPT Search, you’ll need to be a ChatGPT Plus or Team user – or be on the waitlist for SearchGPT.