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OpenAI recently introduced a new search engine feature in its ChatGPT chatbot, which positions the AI startup’s ability to compete with the likes of Google and Perplexity. While ReadWrite reported that beta testing had begun for SearchGPT back in July, the company finally rolled it out to Plus and Team users on Thursday (Oct. 31).
For the first time, the tool will be able to provide real-time information, like any other search engine, powered by its large language models (LLMs): GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and GPT-4 Turbo. Just like some of the stalwarts in the field, it will be able to provide sports scores, stock quotes, news, weather, and more through live web search and partnerships with news and data providers.
But among Google, Perplexity, and SearchGPT, which search engine fares the best?
How to use search ChatGPT?
First of all, to start using ChatGPT for web searches, just head to chatgpt.com, click on the web search icon in the text box, and type your query. ChatGPT will automatically search the web when your question might benefit from up-to-date information.
🌐 Introducing ChatGPT search 🌐
ChatGPT can now search the web in a much better way than before so you get fast, timely answers with links to relevant web sources.https://t.co/7yilNgqH9T pic.twitter.com/z8mJWS8J9c
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) October 31, 2024
For a quick shortcut, simply type “/” and select “Search” from the pop-up menu to get started.
When a response uses web search, you’ll notice inline citations, similar to what you see in other search engines. Hover over a citation to see more details, and click to view the source—this hover feature works on desktop web. At the end of a response, you’ll also see a “Sources” button, which gathers all cited sources and other useful links in one place.
Sometimes, search results will include images at the top. You can click on any image to see its source and access more information.
Keep in mind that web searches in ChatGPT are subject to your plan’s GPT-4 usage limit. If you’re using Chrome, you can even set ChatGPT as your default search engine by installing ChatGPT’s Chrome Extension. Once set, typing directly into your browser’s URL bar will open a new conversation in ChatGPT with your search results.
Need to switch to Google search instead? Just type “!g [your query]” (for example, “!g weather tomorrow”) directly in the URL bar, and it’ll redirect you to Google.
So far, OpenAI has integrated search directly into ChatGPT for paying subscribers, though this will be expanded to users that use the free version of the chatbot.
How does SearchGPT work?
OpenAI hasn’t fully detailed how SearchGPT works, but it likely uses a method similar to retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). This approach, popular in AI search engines like Perplexity and Google AI Overviews, helps minimize inaccuracies by pulling information from reliable databases to support more accurate answers.
It is thought that the model converts your query into a numerical format, which captures the query’s meaning. It then searches a vector database, which may be powered by Bing due to OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft, to pull the most relevant sources. This way, SearchGPT can provide precise answers while linking to original web content for transparency.
By retrieving these sources, SearchGPT adds context to improve its responses. However, some still raise questions about potential copyright concerns, as integrating web content in this way could bring up issues around intellectual property.
What is the difference between SearchGPT and Google?
A big difference between ChatGPT search and Google is how they deliver results. ChatGPT provides conversational, natural language answers with direct citations, allowing you to ask follow-up questions in the same context. Google, on the other hand, gives you a list of links, so you need to click through sources to find the info you need.
If you’re confident in ChatGPT’s accuracy, it can be convenient. But for those who prefer seeing all their options directly, Google might feel more transparent. Google indexes billions of pages, giving it a vast reach, whereas ChatGPT uses third-party search providers, like Bing, making its scope a bit narrower.
Google’s search index encompasses hundreds of billions of web pages, totaling over 100 million gigabytes of data. During testimony in the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust case against Google, attorneys revealed that the tech giant maintained a web index of “about 400 billion documents.”
Ultimately, it’s a choice between ChatGPT’s interactive experience and Google’s expansive index. ChatGPT excels at personalized, continuous conversation, while Google shines with its broad and varied search results.
One big advantage Google has over ChatGPT is its reliability. After years of fine-tuning, Google has earned user trust for accurate search results. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is still newer to the search game and often comes with a disclaimer, “ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.”
In an October Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) session, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, “for many queries, I find it to be a way faster/easier way to get the information I’m looking for. I think we’ll see this especially for queries that require more complex research.”
However, he hinted that in the future ChatGPT may be able to “dynamically render a custom web page in response.”
What is the difference between SearchGPT and Perplexity?
OpenAI’s new SearchGPT prototype shares many features with the existing Search AI Perplexity AI. As mentioned, both AI engines have a habit of hallucinating, whereas Google tends to fare better in this area, compared to SearchGPT and Perplexity.
ChatGPT’s new search interface is super sleek and minimalistic—you just type and get your answer, no clutter. It also offers typeahead suggestions as you type, which is a nice touch that Perplexity hasn’t fully rolled out yet (though it’s in beta for some users).
However, there are trade-offs. SearchGPT doesn’t have search history tabs, settings, or customization options—it’s pretty bare-bones.
What stands out, though, is its speed. SearchGPT is incredibly fast and feels even quicker than Perplexity. While it’s not faster than Google, it’s impressive that SearchGPT can handle complex questions almost instantly, which makes a difference in user experience. Plus, it offers a helpful header summarizing the answer in a single sentence for a quick glance-over.
The left sidebar has a few simple buttons to access sources and images related to your search—that’s about it. For now, Perplexity feels more mature, with a mobile app and follow-up questions. But for pure ease of use, SearchGPT definitely scores points.
SearchGPT’s prototype includes visual results like images and videos, with interactive charts that make exploring data easier. While Perplexity AI also has visuals, SearchGPT’s charts are far more interactive.
Currently, SearchGPT doesn’t support searching with file attachments, a feature Perplexity already provides. However, OpenAI plans to integrate SearchGPT into the standard ChatGPT interface, which would enable attachments.
With Perplexity AI Pro, users get access to upgraded AI models like GPT-4 Turbo, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Claude 3 Opus, and Llama 3.1 405B, along with unlimited attachments and multi-query searches for more complex questions.
Testing out Google, Perplexity, and SearchGPT
After asking the question, “What is the latest trend in AI?” across various engines, we found that SearchGPT was incredibly fast at providing a response. Perplexity took a few extra seconds to compile its answers, similar to Google’s AI overview.
That said, Perplexity delivered a much more comprehensive response, offering multiple sources for each answer, as well as the option for other multimedia. In contrast, SearchGPT provided only one source per answer, possibly due to limitations from its various partners. Meanwhile, Google’s response was basic, with one-line summaries for each trend and links to various news sites and blog posts for more detail.
The verdict: which search engine is the best?
I just tested SearchGPT vs. Perplexity.
Google is getting outdated, fast.
But I still prefer Perplexity.
test #1 → LinkedIn algorithm. pic.twitter.com/c8wHeiVxLb
— Ruben Hassid (@RubenHssd) November 3, 2024
Wow
OpenAI just launched SearchGPT and it's totally ended Google and Perplexity
No reason to use any other search engine now
Here's your full walkthrough, how to use SearchGPT best, and a full comparison with other tools
(trust me you want to bookmark this one) pic.twitter.com/AZALK3gdec
— Alex Finn (@AlexFinnX) October 31, 2024
I've not used Google to search since SearchGPT launched, and I've had a 100% success rate with it.
Just cancelled Perplexity, too.
Best part? No Ads! pic.twitter.com/2gzlobYlXx
— ᴅᴀɴɪᴇʟ ᴍɪᴇssʟᴇʀ (@DanielMiessler) November 1, 2024
Users have been raving about SearchGPT, calling it a “Google Killer.” However, due to its established credentials, some still prefer Perplexity over the new talent on the scene.
While SearchGPT has a lot in common with Perplexity and Google, OpenAI brings serious resources and expertise to the game. They have huge potential for refining the tool, scaling databases, and improving overall quality. However, building user trust is still essential, and that’s an area they haven’t fully unpacked yet.
Perplexity GPT stands out for its customizable features, and options to personalize the experience with pages and threads.
In the end, SearchGPT is shaping up to be a serious player in the AI search world, potentially becoming a strong contender among today’s search AI options. However, Perplexity is still at the front of the race.
Featured image: Canva / Ideogram
