OpenAI has introduced its latest AI search experience for ChatGPT. Here’s how you can access the update and first impressions on its performance.
OpenAI has released its AI search update for ChatGPT, three months after initially announcing the SearchGPT prototype. OpenAI’s vision for the future of AI-driven search is now accessible to the public.
“We’re focused on making ChatGPT the top place to answer any question, including real-time information from the web,” says Adam Fry, ChatGPT’s search product lead. Fry refers to the feature as “ChatGPT search” rather than “SearchGPT.” This update enters a competitive field, with AI search options from both smaller startups, like Perplexity, and tech giants, like Google, which offers AI Overview search results. In 2024, journalists have critiqued both Google and Perplexity’s AI search for issues like copying original content and generating inaccurate information.
Ahead of ChatGPT’s search upgrade, OpenAI secured content licensing agreements with various online publishers, including The Atlantic, Vox Media, and Condé Nast (the parent company of WIRED). These agreements permit OpenAI to utilize publishers’ content for training its systems in return for a fee.
However, after testing a prelaunch version of ChatGPT’s new AI search, it’s evident that OpenAI has made substantial improvements since its earlier, less refined attempt at web browsing. The new version offers more interactive features and clearer source attributions, which I think will appeal to a subset of early adopters.
With this in mind, the product still requires enhancements to effectively compete with Google for key search activities, like online shopping. ChatGPT also shares some of the same issues as other AI search tools, including generating inaccurate information and incorrect citations. Interested in trying the update? Here’s how to access it, along with some examples from my first experiences.
Guide to Using ChatGPT’s Search Tool
To access this update right away, you’ll need an OpenAI subscription. Users on the $20/month ChatGPT Plus plan or ChatGPT Teams at work can start using the new search experience now. OpenAI plans to extend availability to Enterprise and Edu plans later in November, while free users may need to wait until early next year.
ChatGPT search is driven by a customized version of GPT-4o, OpenAI’s latest generative model. Users can access it via the ChatGPT website, mobile app (for Android and Apple), and web app (for Mac and Windows). The AI search feature is expected to be available in any country where ChatGPT is offered.
Fry urges users to take advantage of the tool’s natural language capabilities and to ask complex, multifaceted questions. “This isn’t your typical search engine where you rely on keywords and try to manipulate your queries,” he explains. Additionally, users should engage with the source links and review what ChatGPT cites to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how the AI generates its responses.
Initial Thoughts on OpenAI’s New AI Search
The updated search experience may feel familiar to those who have used Perplexity. You enter a prompt, and the AI tool collects links from the web to produce an output that emphasizes key information relevant to your query. So, is it truly groundbreaking that ChatGPT can now show real-time stock charts? While not on its own, this feature reflects OpenAI’s broader vision of positioning ChatGPT as its multifunctional software.
For instance, you can now engage in audio conversations with the bot, ask it to assist with document editing, and conduct comprehensive web searches. The research preview version of ChatGPT powered by the GPT-3.5 model feels like a distant memory compared to the more refined version that is now accessible to millions of users.
During a demonstration, Fry showcased ChatGPT search as a useful starting point for discovering new products, using the example of prompting the tool to find WIRED’s recommendation for the best electric bike. The search results prominently featured links to the WIRED website and well-researched articles by WIRED commerce editor Adrienne So. “We’re eager to develop even deeper integrations with commerce and product partners to enhance the user journey,” Fry explains. However, how affiliate revenue is divided between OpenAI and content publishers when readers use ChatGPT’s search engine to shop for recommended products could become a contentious issue in the future.
One of the main tasks I plan to explore with ChatGPT is the initial research phase for non-sensitive articles, using it as just one component of the overall research process. This is typically a lower-stakes task that I would accomplish using Google. By potentially integrating AI search methods early in my writing, I can create more opportunities to identify any inaccuracies that may arise.
The internet contains much more than just research articles and stock prices; explicit content also generates significant search interest and is widely available online. However, AI search tools are restricted from accessing such content—OpenAI’s policies prohibit erotic material, and nudity is unlikely to appear in any image results. When I inquired about which OnlyFans creators are worth subscribing to, ChatGPT’s first recommendation was “Jane Doe,” suggesting her wholesome content consists of workout tips and nutrition plans. The response included a photo of a real woman who is casually dressed and does not seem to be an OnlyFans creator.
To delve deeper into ChatGPT’s search capabilities, I made a specific request for creators labeled as “male bottoms.” The software started generating a crude bulleted list that included real creators from a website, describing one as, “Elijah is a very attractive bottom who keeps it tight, oiled up, and very hot.” However, shortly after this response was produced, OpenAI’s software identified it as a guideline violation and deleted it. OpenAI claims it is actively working to improve how ChatGPT handles violations of its safeguards.
I was particularly disheartened to see ChatGPT present racist and discredited claims implying that individuals from certain countries have lower intelligence. In October, a WIRED investigation by reporter David Gilbert revealed a trend of AI search tools referencing debunked IQ scores for African nations like Liberia and Sierra Leone. ChatGPT’s search highlighted the discredited IQ figure of 45.07 as potentially relevant while also linking to David’s reporting as a counterpoint in the results.
In response, Niko Felix, a spokesperson for OpenAI, stated, “While ChatGPT recognizes criticisms of these specific studies from sources such as WIRED, there remains room for improvement in its responses.”
Despite the initial shortcomings of ChatGPT’s search update, I anticipate that OpenAI will keep enhancing the user experience throughout 2025 and build on this new wave of web results. Just days before this announcement, it was revealed that Meta also has an AI team developing search tools. AI search is no longer a niche segment of the software market; it’s evolving rapidly, and more companies are likely to enter this space. If user habits do shift in the coming years, dominating the next big information-gathering tool—complete with shopping and sports scores—could become a billion-dollar opportunity.
Â
Â