The ChatGPT Search feature is now live, symbolizing OpenAI’s official entry into the artificial intelligence search market, expected to pose a threat to search giant Google and AI startup Perplexity!
ChatGPT search is live! OpenAI launched a new search feature called ChatGPT Search on November 1st, allowing users to search for information on ChatGPT “like Google” and generate an “answer document.”
More importantly, ChatGPT will “annotate the source of information in the document like Perplexity,” helping users fact-check information or further eliminate AI hallucination issues.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pointed out on the social platform X on Thursday that search is his favorite feature since ChatGPT’s debut; OpenAI Media Director Varun Shetty also stated, “Asking questions through chat and getting high-quality answers makes the search experience better.”
To optimize the search experience through ChatGPT, OpenAI has signed cooperation agreements with several publishers, including News Corp., Axel Springer SE, Time magazine, etc., to ensure that information in the search function comes from authoritative and up-to-date sources.
Not just news! Weather, stock market, sports, travel, and more can be searched
OpenAI states that ChatGPT Search not only focuses on news but also optimizes and expands information on weather, stock market, sports, travel, and other local information.
Digital Times will test each example of ChatGPT Search functionality one by one.
News keywords: Hunter Card, Silicon Photon
For example, searching “Hunter Card Incident” on ChatGPT provides the following summary of the event:
Recently, Taiwan McDonald’s collaborated with the popular Japanese anime “HUNTER×HUNTER Hunter” to launch character blind card packs and other products. However, before the event officially started, McDonald’s sent complete PR gift boxes to several internet celebrities, sparking controversy.
In addition to the event overview, ChatGPT also includes McDonald’s responses and expert opinions to help users stay informed about the event.
Summary of the Hunter Card incident by ChatGPT.
Image /
ChatGPT
So, what if you search for more technical keywords? For example, searching for “Silicon Photon” on ChatGPT provides the following overview:
Silicon Photonics is a technology that combines photonics technology with silicon materials by making optical waveguides and other components on a silicon chip to transmit optical signals within the silicon chip. This technology utilizes the high speed and low loss characteristics of optical signals to achieve high-speed, low-power data transmission.
In terms of technical terms, ChatGPT has a relatively high duplication rate of content from a single media source, presumably due to the specialized content. Therefore, besides generating relatively simple summary answer documents, ChatGPT also collects related data sources on the right sidebar, such as the article “What is Silicon Photon?” compiled by Digital Times.
Explanation of “Silicon Photon” by ChatGPT.
Image /
ChatGPT
Weather keyword: Typhoon disaster
Without entering the name of a typhoon, ChatGPT likely deduces the user’s location from the IP and provides statistics on the disaster caused by Typhoon Conry, as shown below:
Information on the typhoon disaster compiled by ChatGPT.
Image /
ChatGPT
Stock market keyword: Super Micro stock price
In the past, asking ChatGPT for stock market-related news would either result in relatively old information or no generated response. However, now, ChatGPT will fully reference information from third-party sources and consolidate factors affecting stock price fluctuations, as shown below:
Super Micro Computer, Inc. (stock code: SMCI) has recently experienced significant stock price fluctuations. As of October 31, 2024, the stock price closed at $33.07, with a daily decline of 32.68%. This decline is mainly due to Ernst & Young resigning from its audit duties due to concerns about the company’s governance and transparency. In addition, market concerns about its accounting practices and customer transactions have further intensified the downward pressure on the stock price.
Stock price response by ChatGPT.
Image /
ChatGPT
Sports keyword: MLB
Searching for MLB, ChatGPT prioritizes generating content based on the “most recent major events.” Therefore, AI lists the schedule and results of the World Series “New York Dodgers vs. New York Yankees” in a table and highlights the performance of star players:
Shohei Ohtani: Playing for the Dodgers, set a record in the 2024 season with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases, becoming the first player to achieve the “50-50” milestone.
Aaron Judge: Main batter for the Yankees, hit 58 home runs in the 2024 season with an impressive performance.
MLB match summary generated by ChatGPT.
Image /
ChatGPT
Travel keyword: Taipei Night Market
Searching for “What night markets are there in Taipei?” on ChatGPT shows landmarks directly on an embedded map, allowing users to click on “navigation” or “website” for further information on transportation or background information, making it practical.
Map of Taipei night markets generated by ChatGPT.
Image /
ChatGPT
Why will Google’s search dominance be threatened?
Why will the ChatGPT search feature pose a threat to Google? Clues and opportunities can be seen from the current active users of ChatGPT and the “pay conversion rate.”
Reason 1: Many free users, high growth potential in conversion rate
According to a report by Bloomberg, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar recently revealed that about 75% of OpenAI’s business comes from consumer subscriptions, with ChatGPT currently averaging 250 million active users per week, and the conversion rate from free users to paid users is about 5-6%. This shows the potential for the search feature to further increase the user payment rate.
Reason 2: ChatGPT does not have ad space yet
In addition, ChatGPT’s web page layout currently does not include advertising space, and the clean layout may be one reason why users abandon Google search. According to The Verge, OpenAI spokesperson Niko Felix stated that there are currently no plans to place ads in ChatGPT.
However, operating costs for AI search are evidently higher than traditional search, and it is currently unclear how OpenAI will profit from free users. Therefore, Felix also mentioned that free users will be “limited in their use of the latest search models.”
Conclusion: Upgraded utility, but still need to be cautious of AI hallucinations
After initial practical testing, ChatGPT Search has shown good utility. However, as a generative AI product, ChatGPT Search also faces the risk of providing incorrect answers.
Regarding AI hallucinations, ChatGPT Search Director Adam Fry from OpenAI stated, “Some hallucinations are simply due to the inability to access the latest information. Therefore, having support for the latest information does indeed help the system make decisions closer to real and correct answers.”
Fry concluded, “If the system makes a mistake, we will strive to maintain transparency.”
Further reading:
OpenAI declares war on Google! Introducing “SearchGPT” to compete in the search engine market, how to use AI search? What are its strengths?
Sources:
ChatGPT, The Verge, Bloomberg
This article was initially composed by AI, compiled, edited by Li Xiantai.