OpenAI Adds Live Search to ChatGPT, Competition with Google

OpenAI is expanding its flagship product, ChatGPT, with a new suite of search capabilities, intensifying competition with Alphabet Inc.'s Google. The enhanced ChatGPT can now pull live online data, such as sports scores, news, weather, and stock prices, in response to user queries. Initially available for ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers, the features will also roll out to enterprise and education clients in the coming weeks, and eventually to free users over the coming months.

The new search features, powered by OpenAI's latest model, aim to make online searches more streamlined. "People want answers when they search, and it's challenging to find them on the internet right now," said Varun Shetty, OpenAI's head of media partnerships, in an interview with Bloomberg News. "Being able to ask questions conversationally with context and high-quality sources makes for a better experience."

During a demonstration, the OpenAI team asked ChatGPT about events happening in San Francisco over the weekend and received a list of local event summaries sourced directly from news sites. They also inquired about nearby restaurants, and ChatGPT displayed a map with recommendations, complete with source previews and images.

Le Monde's CEO, Louis Dreyfus, praised the shift, saying, We believe AI-driven search will become a primary way to access information, and partnering with OpenAI keeps Le Monde at the forefront of this transformation.

OpenAI emphasized that its search tool will not prioritize content from partnered news publishers. Any website or publisher can opt into ChatGPT's search, ensuring it provides value not only for hard news but for a broad range of information needs.