OpenAI Unleashes AI-Powered ChatGPT Search to All Users, Free of Charge
OpenAI has made a significant stride in democratizing AI-powered web search by launching its ChatGPT Search feature to all logged-in users worldwide, including those with free accounts, on December 16, 2024. This major expansion stands as a direct challenge to Google’s search dominance and signifies a substantial shift in the way people access information online.
Previously, the search feature was exclusive to paying ChatGPT Plus subscribers. Now, it empowers hundreds of millions of users to access real-time, up-to-date information with links to pertinent web sources directly within their ChatGPT conversations. The AI is designed to automatically determine when to search the web, or users can manually activate it using a dedicated search icon.
The enhanced search experience incorporates partnerships with leading news organizations like the Associated Press, Reuters, and The Atlantic. It offers visually appealing designs for weather, stocks, sports, news, and maps. Users can now pose follow-up questions, and ChatGPT will maintain full context while delivering faster, more accurate results sourced from current web data.
“This update signifies a step forward in OpenAI’s commitment to improving the functionality of ChatGPT, making it more relevant and capable of providing answers sourced from the most current data available,” stated Adam Fry, OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search product lead. The move intensifies competition with traditional search engines and could accelerate the shift from keyword-based searching to conversational AI-powered queries.
Source: OpenAI