OpenAI, the provider of the AI chatbot ChatGPT, which generates human-like responses to natural language inputs, announced this weekend that the chatbot is now equipped with live web search capabilities for real-time information.
According to the AI tech giant, this feature is currently available for paid subscribers and users on the SearchGPT waitlist, with plans to extend it to free, enterprise, and educational users soon.
In an official statement, OpenAI explained that the live search tool is integrated directly into ChatGPT's existing interface, allowing it to automatically access online results for certain queries.
As reported by TECHEDT, users can also manually activate the web search feature, enabling ChatGPT to compete more directly with similar AI functionalities from tech giants like Microsoft's Copilot and Google's Gemini, both of which already have internet access. OpenAI aims for this integration to enhance ChatGPT's accuracy and depth, providing users with more relevant, up-to-date information.
Demonstrating the new feature, Adam Fry, head of ChatGPT's search team, showcased an interactive stock graph, upcoming earnings, and clickable news articles linked to original sources. This new functionality will be available across all ChatGPT platforms, including iOS, Android, and desktop apps for macOS and Windows. The search capability is built on various technologies, including Microsoft’s Bing.
According to OpenAI, the model supporting this feature is a fine-tuned version of GPT-4, which was initially introduced to 10,000 users in July as part of a prototype called SearchGPT. OpenAI's recent blog post highlights its efforts to expand ChatGPT's reach and strengthen its position against other tech players.
“OpenAI will continue refreshing the training data, but the search capability will be distinct from the AI's model training updates,” said OpenAI spokesperson Niko Felix.