OpenAI announced ChatGPT Search at the beginning of November. It allows ChatGPT to retrieve real-time information directly from the internet, providing up-to-date answers. As part of the 12 Days of OpenAI campaign, OpenAI introduced three significant updates to the ChatGPT Search feature on the eighth day. Here’s everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
1. Search is Now Free for All Users
Previously, the Search feature was exclusive to Plus and Pro subscribers. OpenAI has now made it accessible to all users, regardless of their subscription plan.
Even free-tier users can take advantage of the Search feature, enabling ChatGPT to retrieve live information from the web, similar to AI tools like Perplexity and Arc Search. This means you can ask for the latest stock prices, the results of last night’s game, or breaking news—and receive answers that are up-to-the-minute accurate.
2. Rich Search Results
OpenAI says a lot of users who’ve tried ChatGPT Search started using it as their default search engine. But there was a problem. While ChatGPT is good at providing information, sometimes people are just searching for a specific website or the name of a place they need directions to. That’s something ChatGPT Search couldn’t handle—until now.
To fix this, Search now gives rich results with links to the websites people are looking for.
You’ll also get results like lists with directions, phone numbers, websites, about sections, photos, opening hours, and more. And also Maps, powered by Apple Maps on Apple devices or OpenStreet Maps on Web and Android devices.
These updates make ChatGPT’s search experience feel a lot closer to regular search engines. For example, if you search “coffee shops near me,” you’ll get a list of nearby spots with links, ratings, and hours—basically what you’d expect from Google.
3. Search with Voice
Adding another layer of accessibility, OpenAI now lets users use Search with Voice. This feature, available in Advanced voice mode, allows you to ask real-time questions using voice input. ChatGPT will automatically search the web and read out the information it finds.
The voice feature builds on the recent video capabilities, making Advanced voice mode more feature-packed compared to Standard voice mode.
Also Read:
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Roll Out Details and What’s Next?
These search features are expected to roll out to all users by next week.
So what’s next? OpenAI gave a hint about tomorrow’s update, stating it will be developer-focused. This could mean updates to their existing APIs or maybe new APIs for products like Sora. However, it might not be an update that excites the end users.
Stay tuned as we continue bringing you daily updates on OpenAI’s 12 Days of OpenAI campaign.
