OpenAI’s rumored new search technology could disrupt the way we search online, potentially challenging Google’s dominance in the industry. According to reports, OpenAI is developing a web search product that will directly compete with Google, a move that signifies a significant shift in the search landscape. While OpenAI has not yet finalized whether the search tool will be separate from ChatGPT or integrated into it, it is clear that the company aims to offer a more transformative search experience.
One noteworthy aspect is that OpenAI’s search service is expected to be powered partly by Bing, a search engine backed by Microsoft. Although combining Bing with the generative AI capabilities of ChatGPT has not dented Google’s search dominance so far, OpenAI’s new search app could potentially provide a more innovative alternative. However, the decision on whether to integrate the search tool with ChatGPT or keep it separate will likely depend on ChatGPT’s speed compared to Google’s search capabilities. Additionally, ChatGPT currently relies on Bing’s web index to answer certain questions.
OpenAI’s anticipated search contender will join the growing number of challengers aiming to take on Google’s market share. Perplexity AI, for instance, has made strides by becoming the internal search engine for the Rabbit R1. It remains to be seen how OpenAI’s rumored contender will coexist with Microsoft’s Copilot and Copilot Pro.
Google itself has hinted at significant changes to its search experience in 2024. The company has introduced a toggle in its Gemini Android app, allowing users to switch from traditional search to its new generative AI assistant. However, Google has been slower to integrate AI into its desktop experience, often concealing experimental features in its Search Generative Experience (SGE), which requires users to sign up to access them.
In contrast, smaller players like Perplexity and potentially OpenAI, who lack a large existing search business to protect, are more willing to showcase new AI-powered search experiences. For example, Perplexity provides written answers to questions, along with a list of citations to support the information provided. It even assists users in exploring topics further by suggesting follow-up questions and answering them.
Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether AI search engines can achieve the massive profitability of Google’s traditional search experience. Neeva, a contender co-founded by a former Google executive, had to shut down last year after discovering the challenges involved in building a search engine.
As we enter 2024, the search landscape is poised for a shift, potentially presenting Google with its most formidable challengers in over 25 years. The emergence of OpenAI’s rumored search product, among other contenders, introduces more competition and innovation into the market. This shift will undoubtedly impact users’ search experiences and may ultimately lead to a diversification of search engine options.
Overall, OpenAI’s foray into web search signifies a significant development that could reshape the search engine landscape. While it remains to be seen how OpenAI’s search offering will compete against Google’s established dominance, the increasing number of challengers signals a change in the tides of search, with users standing to benefit from more varied and innovative search experiences.
