OpenAI to Develop a ChatGPT Search Engine, Competing with Google's Perplexity
OpenAI is developing its own search engine for ChatGPT, aiming to provide users with information directly from the web, potentially rivaling Google’s perplexity.
According to a source familiar with the matter, this new feature could be a game-changer in the way users interact with GPT. It would enable users to ask the platform questions and get answers that were taken from various online sources, with citations. These sources may include Wikipedia entries, blog posts, and other reputable sources.
Moreover, this feature has additional potential, which is integrating relevant images alongside the texts provided, with the aim of enhancing the user’s understanding. For instance, if a user asked for instructions on how to change a doorknob, the answer provided might include an image that illustrates the step-by-step process.
Previous reports have mentioned that OpenAI has been working hard on the development of the search product since February. However, the details related to the way this feature operates have not been disclosed yet, and the company refused to give any comments on the matter.
The reason behind the push to develop this new feature is the growing competition between big tech companies in the field of AI chatbots and search engines.
Particularly, Perplexity has gained notable attention with its AI-driven search engine, which emphasizes accuracy and source citation. Google, considered the leader in the field of search engines, is also investing in improving its AI search capabilities, as it is planning to announce these developments during the upcoming annual I/O event happening on May 14-15.
Social media platforms were circulating a lot of speculations regarding OpenAI’s strategy for search. Some X users have recently mentioned that there is a webpage dubbed search.chatgpt.com, indicating that it could be a new search feature belonging to the company. Yet, visitors to this webpage at first received a ‘not found’ message, but during the weekend, it redirected to chatgpt.com, the official website where users engage with the chatbot.
If released, this feature would be a major step in the expansion of the services provided by the Microsoft-backed company.
It is also worth noting that ChatGPT currently can provide paying users with answers retrieved online but may not always be able to do so for citations.
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