Photo credit: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg

OpenAI has announced SearchGPT, an artificial intelligence-powered search engine with real-time information from the web, positioning the AI company as a direct rival to search giant Google.

The ChatGPT-maker’s plans to introduce an AI-assisted search product were widely reported earlier this year, with sources telling The Verge in May that the company has been actively trying to poach Google employees for a team.

SearchGPT, still in its “temporary prototype” phase, combines OpenAI’s AI models, including the new GPT-4 vein, and will only be initially available to a small group of users and publishers for feedback, the company said in a July 25 blog post, adding that it plans to integrate the new product’s “best features” into ChatGPT in the future.

“Getting answers on the web can take a lot of effort, often requiring multiple attempts to get relevant results,” the company wrote. “We believe that by enhancing the conversational capabilities of our models with real-time information from the web, finding what you’re looking for can be faster and easier.”

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OpenAI said they’re also enabling a feature allowing publishers “to manage how they appear in SearchGPT.” Publishers can opt out of having their content used to train the AI company’s models and still appear in search results.

“SearchGPT is designed to help users connect with publishers by prominently citing and linking to them in searches. Responses have clear, in-line, named attribution and links so users know where information is coming from and can quickly engage with even more results in a sidebar with source links,” it noted.

Publishers have long called for tech companies to get consent before using copyright-protected work to develop their AI systems. Numerous lawsuits have been filed since last year, including against Google and OpenAI-backer Microsoft.

OpenAI’s new product puts itself in more direct competition with Google, which has ramped up AI integrations to enhance its search engine. The firm would also compete with startup Perplexity, which touts itself as an “AI-powered answer engine.”

Despite recent partnerships with industry giants like Apple and the launch of products like the GPT-4o mini AI model, the OpenAI’s financial future appears uncertain. An analysis from The Information reveals a projected spending of $7 billion on AI model training alone this year, with an additional $1.5 billion allocated for staffing.

OpenAI is valued at around $80 billion after completing a deal that would enable the company to sell existing shares in a so-called tender offer led by venture firm Thrive Capital, according to the New York Times.

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