ChatGPT gets search engine functionality—and it’s kind of a big deal

OpenAI just gave ChatGPT a new power that might make Google nervous: the ability to search the internet in real-time.

Theoretically, gone are the days of ChatGPT shrugging (or worse, hallucinating) when asked about yesterday’s scores or today’s stock prices. The AI chatbot can now dive into the web to fetch fresh information, all while keeping things conversational.

As OpenAI announced yesterday, the upgrade is rolling out first to ChatGPT’s “VIP list”—Plus and Team subscribers—with Enterprise users and educators getting their turns in the coming weeks. Free users will have to practice a bit more patience, with their access coming “over the coming months.”

It’s quite notable that OpenAI hasn’t just slapped a search bar onto ChatGPT. They’ve brought some journalism heavy hitters on board, partnering with prestigious names like Le Monde, Associated Press, and Vox Media. 

“We are convinced that AI search will be, in a near future and for the next generations, a primary way to access information,” Le Monde CEO Louis Dreyfus said.

The upgrade is powered by a souped-up version of GPT-4o, trained on what OpenAI cryptically calls “novel synthetic data generation techniques.” The system even comes with special bells and whistles for checking weather, stocks, sports, and maps, complete with fancy visual designs that make the information pop.

OpenAI says they are already plotting improvements for shopping and travel features, and working on teaching these new tricks to their voice assistant and canvas platform. Website owners can even apply to join the party, ensuring their content shows up in ChatGPT’s search results.

Just remember to hit that “Sources” button to see where ChatGPT got its information—because even AI needs to show its work sometimes.

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