ChatGPT Can Now Be Used as a Classic Search Engine. Another Hello to Google
Screenshot from the website aieasy.pro
Back in July, OpenAI introduced a prototype of its search engine — SearchGPT, stating that it would not create a separate product but rather integrate the developments into ChatGPT. It seems that moment has arrived, as noticed by aieasy.pro.
At the time of this publication, there was no official announcement from OpenAI yet. However, at least in my paid account, a separate search option appeared. The input field for queries in the new chat window has moved to the center of the screen (for both paid and free users) and now resembles the one in Google and Perplexity.
How to Launch ChatGPT Search
If you have a paid account, select the GPT-4o model (with or without canvas) and enter “/” (options) in the query field. Among these options, you’ll find the search.
Screenshot from the website aieasy.pro
After clicking “Search,” ChatGPT will work like a classic search engine — providing results and clickable links to them. An example:
Example of ChatGPT’s answer to the question “What happened to the Titanic”
Is this the End of Google?
No.
Firstly, the feature is still unstable — sometimes the search option doesn’t appear after pressing “/” (you need to refresh the window), and sometimes it doesn’t provide links when searching. I believe that’s why OpenAI hasn’t officially announced it yet.
Secondly, in some cases, the search doesn’t recognize the continuity of the conversation. If you ask a follow-up question, instead of understanding it in the context of your previous query, the model often interprets it as a new, separate question. Additionally, unlike Perplexity, which often suggests additional questions to help you refine your search, SearchGPT does not offer this feature.
Thirdly, the search currently works quite slowly and doesn’t provide as many links and options (images/videos, time selection option, etc.) as Google.
Nevertheless, it’s another indicator of where the technology is heading and another hello to both Google and websites that primarily rely on search traffic.
