The biggest threat Google has ever faced has come true: ChatGPT has created its own web search engine and has just launched it. Depending on its success, this could represent a turning point in the technology sector and the way we use the Internet; Or, like many others, OpenAI might not be able to convince users to stop using Google.
We cannot say that Sam Altman’s company is not ambitious: he affirms that the latest development of his “chatbot” will allow we no longer need to use a web search engineand the clichés clearly point to Google, the maximum (the only?) in the sector. It is also a blow for one of its biggest allies, Microsoft, which was already trying to encourage the use of Bing with the success of Copilot, based on the same language models as ChatGPT.
Although ChatGPT was already capable of answering questions related to web searches, the answers were largely out of date due to an outdated database. This has given an advantage to Google and its AI, Gemini, which is not only able to use the search engine to display updated answers, but is even starting to be integrated into the Google search engine in some markets. SearchGPT, its own search engine, changes that because is capable of continuous updating with new search results, from which you get information about your responses in ChatGPT.
Examples presented by OpenAI include the weather forecast. We can now ask ChatGPT what the weather will be, and it will automatically get forecasts from sites like Accuweather. In the same way, we can ask how a company is doing on the stock market, and a graph will be displayed with the progression of values. We can even ask questions about current affairs, including politics and events, as well as sports scores, and ChatGPT will answer them.
Of course, the question is where ChatGPT gets all this data from; OpenAI has yet to fully address criticism of stealing data to train its AI, such as when it was revealed that it had used YouTube videos without compensation to their creators. On this occasion, OpenAI tried to avoid controversy signing agreements with companies such as Vox Media and Reuterswith which you now have permission to retrieve the content of your messages for ChatGPT replies. The company also says it listened to opinions from the Associated Press, Axel Springer, Prisa and other media companies.
ChatGPT search results links only appear if a button is clicked
Free Android
OpenAI emphasized that now ChatGPT shows more links than ever to third-party sites; The chatbot now includes a sources button at the end of its responses, and clicking on it will open a side window listing all the pages used to generate the response. What is unclear is whether this will be beneficial to the owners of these pages.
Free Android
OpenAI said it wants built-in search to provide owners “opportunities to reach a wider audience” and allow users to discover new pages and editors. On Google, being among the first search results translates into a significant flow of traffic and therefore revenue from advertising or new users; However, OpenAI has not explained why the user would want to access these pages if ChatGPT has already answered your question using your content.
Paid, ChatGPT Plus and Team users can now use the ChatGPT search engine on all platforms, including Web, Android and iOS. The search engine will reach free version users in the coming months.
