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OpenAI has recently introduced a new search feature within its popular chatbot, ChatGPT, a development that enhances its competitive stance against major search engines such as Google, Microsoft’s Bing, and Perplexity. This feature allows users to access real-time information including sports scores, stock prices, news updates, and weather conditions, leveraging web search capabilities and collaborations with various data providers. The beta-testing phase for this feature, named SearchGPT, began in July.
This launch carries significant implications for Google’s dominance in the search market. Since the advent of ChatGPT in November 2022, stakeholders in Alphabet, Google’s parent company, have expressed apprehensions regarding OpenAI’s potential to siphon off users from Google by providing innovative alternative ways for individuals to search for information online. Following the announcement, Alphabet’s stock saw a decline of approximately 1%.
Furthermore, OpenAI’s initiative solidifies its role as a rival to Microsoft, which has substantially invested in the company, contributing nearly $14 billion. However, OpenAI’s offerings directly compete with Microsoft’s own AI-driven tools, including Copilot and Bing.
In a recent post on X, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed his enthusiasm about the new search feature, declaring it his “favorite feature we have launched” since ChatGPT was first introduced. The updated search functionality is designed to facilitate a more conversational and intuitive user experience, enabling users to ask follow-up questions seamlessly. This search capability is based on a refined version of OpenAI’s most advanced AI model, GPT-4o, and is supported by content from third-party search engines and partners in the news industry.
According to OpenAI’s blog post, the company utilized insights from the SearchGPT prototype to refine this feature and intends to enhance the search experience further, with a particular focus on sectors like shopping and travel. The integration of the AI’s reasoning capabilities aims to facilitate deeper research.
The ChatGPT interface is now designed to automatically conduct web searches based on user queries, although individuals can also initiate a search manually by selecting the web search icon within the chatbot. Following interactions, users are provided with links to source materials, such as articles and blog posts, accessible through a “Sources” button that opens a sidebar display.
OpenAI has partnered with a variety of news organizations, including The Associated Press, Reuters, Axel Springer, Condé Nast, Hearst, Dotdash Meredith, the Financial Times, News Corp., Le Monde, The Atlantic, Time, and Vox Media, to bolster the content available through ChatGPT.
Starting Thursday, the ChatGPT search feature became available to all ChatGPT Plus and Team users, as well as members on the SearchGPT waitlist. Users of ChatGPT Enterprise and Edu will gain access in the following weeks, while the free version of ChatGPT is expected to receive the new functionality in the forthcoming months, according to OpenAI.
Earlier this month, OpenAI completed a funding round, achieving a valuation of $157 billion, bolstered by $6.6 billion raised from various investment firms and tech giants. Additionally, it secured a $4 billion revolving line of credit, raising its total liquidity to exceeding $10 billion. Despite this financial backing, OpenAI is projected to incur losses of around $5 billion against an anticipated revenue of $3.7 billion this year, as reported by CNBC.
In recent months, OpenAI has faced scrutiny regarding its impending transition to a for-profit model and a wave of executive exits. Notably, Jan Leike, a former safety team leader, publicly shared concerns upon resigning, stating that the company’s focus on “shiny products” has overshadowed its commitment to safety protocols and processes.
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