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21 years ago, I wrote: “I search so I Google“. This is something I could probably still write today, along with the billions of other people who start their day with a query filed on the Google homepage or, more likely, in their search bar. ‘address where Google casually sits All that could change, however, and now after using. Search ChatGPTI wonder if half a decade from now I’ll be writing “I’m looking for so I ChatGPT”.

OpenAI ChatGPT has already had an incredible run as one of the first generative AI platforms that everyone knows, if not uses. The ambition to add search to the platform was well known and, in some ways, seen as a clever way to bridge the gap between what often seemed like clever answers and the all-too-frequent hallucinations and misinformation.

With the indexed and current web as a foundation, ChatGPT is instantly smarter. The appeal of an AI generative search engine lies in its conversational nature and its ability to maintain context without rephrasing the original query. Discovery is more of an interactive exploration.

When OpenAI announced plans to introduce SearchGPT (what became ChatGPT search), I signed up for early access. As a result, even though I have a free ChatGPT account, I have access to ChatGPT 4o with integrated search. This is a fairly subtle integration; You access the search by selecting the globe in the dialog box. Once done, you are in ChatGPT search until you turn it off.

For the TL;DR audience, here’s what I found:

• Fast

• No advertising

• Accurate

• Clean appearance

• Aware

Except for awareness, ChatGPT Search is everything Google was before it started monetizing our eyes.

Modern Google Search now carries so much grist for all of Google’s other products and services (and its voracious need for revenue) that it is unrecognizable from the search engine I loved in 2003.

Generative AI in the form of the ChatGPT 4o model is the not-so-secret sauce and is what makes this research seem almost conscious and capable of synthesizing disparate information into coherent, logical text. This is also how it keeps track of the conversation so that subsequent searches continue the discovery thread instead of forcing you to rephrase it.

Throughout my experiment, I continued to look for ChatGPT’s signature errors and hallucinations. After all, OpenAI always clearly states with a label at the bottom of the page that “ChatGPT may make errors”.

Perhaps we can attribute the accuracy to ChatGPT search which does not rely solely on its ability to guess which word should come next (a key element of Large Language Models (LLM). It appears to craft the generative response based on facts that he finds on reliable websites.

Another type of vision of AI

While Google top-loads AI previews that drag down traditional results, ChatGPT is nothing more than previews. Yet it somehow seems cleaner, more concise, and less like an uninvited guest of search results.

I asked about the best products in categories like turntables and DSLRs. In each case, I received clear summaries with bulleted lists. Under each one was a quote (I often found information taken from TechRadar).

As with other research, I might ask for a follow-up without rephrasing the original question. In the case of DSLRs, I asked which one is best suited for wildlife photography. I received a brief summary of what makes a good wildlife camera and then details on which ones are best, again from reputable sources.

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I asked how much 45 cents weighed and got a detailed and interesting answer that indicated the weight had changed over the years. Usually the sources are online, but in this case I had to click the Sources button to see that the information was taken from the US Mint and Wikipedia, among others. This button, by the way, usually displays a group of small branded icons to credit sources,

When I followed up with “Are some more valuable than others?” » ChatGPT Search knew I was always talking about pennies. For what it’s worth, 1,943 copper cents is particularly valuable.

Then I asked Google the same question, AI previews were not available and the first result was a link to Quora with a summary of what appeared to be guesses. I’m surprised the US Mint results don’t appear above the virtual fold.

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When I asked ChatGPT for directions from Bryant Park to Dumbo Brooklyn, he used a source I’d never heard of (Rome2Rio), but it was accurate.

When I asked for a follow-up: “Can I see a map?” he maintained context and showed me a map of the MTA subway. Later I did the same search but this time I followed it up with “Is there any good food?”

Again, the ChatGPT search knew I was still talking about Dumbo and returned nearly a dozen options that I could pursue via a side-scrolling carousel. Vinegar Hill House with their cast iron chicken looks delicious. In a fun twist, though, the directions to each restaurant are linked to – wait for it – Google Maps.

When I did the same search for Bryant Park in Brooklyn on Google, the company did a better job of integrating a large Google map and also used Rome2Rio. Below that was one of Google’s many search enhancements, the “People Also Ask” section. This isn’t something I asked for, although some might argue that details, such as which subway is closest to Bryant Park, might be helpful.

There really isn’t a good way in Google to apply a follow-up question like “Is there any good food?” » First, I had to remove the text already in my Google search box and the results returned restaurants in my area and not in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

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Unlike Google, ChatGPT search does not generate an entirely new page for my queries and instead maintains the discussion thread. I can scroll up to see where I went, what I asked, and the answers returned by the ChatGPT search.

I’m not saying that SearchGPT is the best search engine. It’s way too early for that and I doubt OpenAI’s knowledge graph is as rich as Google’s. Additionally, Google integrates its myriad tools into search in a way that is not yet possible with ChatGPT. Even so, for now, ChatGPT search feels better. But being better doesn’t mean ChatGPT search wins.

Google is a verb and ChatGPT is far from it. Sure, everyone talks about it, but consumers don’t use it as much as Google, which is essentially a landing page for many.

I’m sure that when I’m done experimenting with ChatGPT search, I’ll immediately go back to using Google, like a reflex. Unless of course I install the Chrome extension which could make ChatGPT the new default search engine in my browser. This would be interesting and probably a significant concern for the Google team.

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