SearchGPT—The Next AI-Powered Evolution by OpenAI & What It Means for You

Table of Contents

What is SearchGPT? How Does it Work?
SearchGPT—Development Background & Current Status
The Potential Business Implications of SearchGPT
Things You Should Know About ChatGPT Search/SearchGPT
Optimizing for SearchGPT: Essential Strategies for Content Creators
Will OpenAI’s SearchGPT Be Able to Shake Up Google’s Search Monopoly?

The digital media landscape is “rapidly evolving”—a phrase that AI like ChatGPT might cheerfully remind us of.

But this time, it’s more than a buzzword.

The rise of conversational AI models is not just reshaping how we interact with technology; it’s igniting heated debate about the future of search.

For decades, Google has been the undisputed king of search. Its continuously updated algorithms have defined the way we discover and consume information online.

However, as artificial intelligence grows smarter and faster, new tools like OpenAI’s SearchGPT are emerging.

SearchGPT isn’t just another tool; it’s a leap forward.

With real-time web search capabilities baked into its conversational AI framework, SearchGPT offers up-to-date information, properly sourced, all wrapped in an intuitive, chat-driven interface.

In this blog post, we will help you learn what SearchGPT means for the future of search and your marketing strategies.

Let’s dive in.

What is SearchGPT? How Does it Work?

SearchGPT is OpenAI’s innovative natural language search engine that combines the power of generative AI with live web data. It delivers contextually relevant answers through a conversational interface and includes citations to credible online sources.

As of October 31, 2024, SearchGPT has been fully integrated into ChatGPT, making it accessible to all ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers.

It will be rolled out to enterprise, and education users in the next few weeks, and over the coming months, free users will also get access to ChatGPT Search.

Unlike traditional search engines that rely on keyword matching and static indexes, SearchGPT uses AI to understand user queries more deeply, providing direct and intuitive answers.

SearchGPT makes searching smarter and simpler with its easy-to-use interface. Powered by advanced tech like Microsoft’s Bing for real-time indexing, it decides when to fetch web results based on your query. Need more control? You can also start a web search anytime you want.

For SEO professionals, ensuring content is optimized for Bing remains vital. Since SearchGPT relies on Bing’s index for its web-based sources, visibility on Bing can directly impact its presence in SearchGPT’s results.

1. Real-Time Information: By leveraging Bing’s live index, SearchGPT can deliver up-to-date answers based on current events and the latest data.

2. Interactive Tools: Users benefit from dynamic elements such as interactive stock charts, location-based maps with pins, and visually engaging data visualizations.

3. Source Transparency: Results include clickable citations that link directly to the original sources. A dedicated sources sidebar also lets users browse additional relevant websites for deeper exploration.

4. Contextual Follow-Up: The system retains conversational context, enabling seamless follow-up questions to refine or expand search results.

SearchGPT—Development Background & Current Status

Initially released to a selected group of 10,000 users in July 2024, SearchGPT has since evolved from a prototype to a core feature within ChatGPT.

Rather than launching as a standalone product, OpenAI chose to embed web search capabilities directly into ChatGPT’s interface, aligning with its broader strategy to integrate AI into everyday applications.

On October 9, 2024, OpenAI’s Head of Media Partnerships, Varun Shetty, announced plans to expand SearchGPT’s reach, aiming to boost its ability to drive referral traffic and engagement for brands and publishers.

SearchGPT’s reliance on generative AI likely involves Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) technology. This method connects AI language models with indexed web data, enabling the system to provide accurate, up-to-date, and contextually grounded responses.

Through this technology, SearchGPT offers users a new standard of search—one that combines AI’s conversational strengths with reliable, real-time information.

The Potential Business Implications of SearchGPT

1. Shift in the Search Landscape

• SearchGPT marks a major shift in the search industry, challenging traditional paradigms and introducing AI-driven alternatives.
• OpenAI’s rapid growth with ChatGPT suggests the potential for widespread adoption of SearchGPT upon full launch.

2. Integration Across Platforms

• Insights from SearchGPT will influence OpenAI’s broader product ecosystem, as features are integrated into ChatGPT and potentially impact millions of users.
• Collaboration with Apple to embed AI into iOS 18 may challenge Google’s dominance in mobile search, particularly on iPhones.

3. Impact on Digital Marketing

• AI-generated summaries are changing how we find information, making websites more important for driving conversions and building loyalty.
• Users arriving via SearchGPT are likely to be more informed and closer to purchasing decisions, necessitating high-quality and intuitive website experiences.

4. Revised SEO Strategies

• SEO remains critical but shifts focus toward understanding AI-driven query intent and concept-based keyword research.
• Establishing brand authority becomes essential, as AI systems favor reliable, well-established sources.

5. Monetization Challenges

• The absence of ads in current AI search results raises concerns about long-term revenue models for AI-powered search.
• High operational costs of AI search, as seen in Google’s financial results, pose challenges to scalability and profitability.

6. Need for Agility and Data-Driven Strategies

• Businesses must remain adaptable and leverage data insights to succeed in this evolving landscape.
• SearchGPT’s development will influence the broader AI and search ecosystem, requiring marketers to stay ahead of trends and deliver genuine value to audiences.

Things You Should Know About ChatGPT Search/SearchGPT

1. SearchGPT can cite webpages outside Bing’s top 100 search results, emphasizing the difference between indexed and ranked content.
2. Discrepancies exist between Bing’s generative AI results and SearchGPT responses, often substantial.
3. A single domain can have multiple pages cited within one SearchGPT response.
4. Identical queries can produce different responses, even from the same account and IP.
5. SearchGPT performs better than Google and Bing on niche queries with limited online information.
6. The local search experience feels unreliable, with maps sometimes dominated by a single source.
7. Map results decrease in number as more diverse sources are included.
8. Cited links often include UTM parameters like ?utm_source=chatgpt.com for tracking.
9. Bing ranking doesn’t guarantee better referencing in SearchGPT but aligns more than AI Overviews.
10. Responses are text-driven, with images more likely to appear for fashion or travel queries.
11. Images in carousels are not always cited in the sidebar.
12. SearchGPT can cite content behind paywalls or webpages returning 404 errors.
13. Time-sensitive queries are handled better by SearchGPT than AI Overviews, even without explicit time variables.

Optimizing for SearchGPT: Essential Strategies for Content Creators

1. Create In-Depth, Comprehensive Content
AI tools prioritize context-rich and informative content that fully answers user queries. Develop long-form, detailed articles that delve deeply into topics, offering a complete perspective rather than surface-level information​.

2. Focus on Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T)
Establish credibility by ensuring your content is accurate, well-researched, and supported by authoritative sources. Content from trusted voices is more likely to be cited by SearchGPT.

3. Optimize for Natural Language and Conversational Queries
Write in a way that mimics natural speech to align with SearchGPT’s conversational tone. Keywords should flow naturally, focusing on intent and context rather than repetitive phrasing​.

4. Embrace Structured Data and Technical SEO
Use schema markup to help SearchGPT interpret your content. A technically optimized website—fast loading, mobile-friendly, and easy to crawl—is crucial for AI-driven search visibility​.

5. Leverage User-Generated Content and Reviews
Encourage reviews and user-generated content to enhance your brand’s online presence. These serve as digital endorsements, increasing the likelihood of AI citing your brand​.

6. Adapt to Multimedia Integration
Create content that includes visual elements like infographics and videos. SearchGPT often incorporates images and interactive elements into its responses, particularly for niches like travel and fashion​.

7. Stay Updated with AI Search Trends
Monitor performance metrics such as rankings and click-through rates in SearchGPT results. Continuously adapt your strategies based on evolving AI capabilities and preferences​.

8. Test Different Content Formats
Experiment with FAQs, how-to guides, and listicles, as these formats may resonate better with SearchGPT’s summarization approach. Diversify your content offerings to meet various user needs​.

Will OpenAI’s SearchGPT Be Able to Shake Up Google’s Search Monopoly?

While OpenAI’s SearchGPT has the potential to challenge Google’s search monopoly, it may not completely topple Google’s dominance in the immediate future.

Google maintains strong brand trust and superior data transparency, while AI-powered search engines like SearchGPT, being new, face challenges in user adoption, privacy concerns, and the need for a hybridized search approach.

However, as AI-driven search and competition intensify, marketers will need to diversify their strategies, leading to new opportunities for innovation and experimentation in the search and digital advertising landscape.

Explore the Future of AI-Powered Search in the Year Ahead. Get Started Now!