OpenAI is adding new features to its AI bot, aiming to challenge Google as the top search engine.
The company is testing a search feature that gives ChatGPT real-time information, allowing it to answer questions with current details and links.
This tool is currently available to a few users in the US but will eventually be added to ChatGPT, which has been popular since its 2022 launch.
Backed by Microsoft, OpenAI has introduced various tools, including ones for coding, video creation, data analysis, and image generation. The new search tool will let users ask follow-up questions, making finding information faster and easier, the company said.
AI chatbots are seen as the future of search, a market currently dominated by Google. Following OpenAI’s announcement, shares in Google’s parent company, Alphabet, dropped nearly 3%. Despite competition, Google remains the leader with over 90% of the global market.
The rise of AI has environmental concerns due to the energy usage of these systems. Changes in search engine responses, providing conversational answers instead of just links, have also worried news companies that rely on search traffic for revenue.
OpenAI said it is working with publishers like the Atlantic and News Corp on the new search feature and is committed to supporting publishers and creators. They are also launching a way for publishers to manage their presence in SearchGPT.
OpenAI has faced lawsuits for allegedly using content without permission to train its systems, including from the New York Times. However, they have also partnered with outlets like the Associated Press. Media companies can still appear in search results even if they don’t provide material to train the AI.
This summary is based on information from BBC News.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c897qz1qex9o