OpenAI has just launched ChatGPT Search, a new feature that could well change the way we find information on the web: direct online search. This option allows you to ask a question directly to artificial intelligence (AI), which will search the Internet for the most recent answers. But behind this progress lie questions about the place of traditional websites and our relationship to online information.
ChatGPT Search: an integrated direct search
ChatGPT Search is OpenAI’s new feature that allows you to search the web directly from the ChatGPT interface. Imagine being able to ask your questions to ChatGPT, but instead of being limited to pre-recorded knowledge, artificial intelligence can now fetch information in real time from the web, navigate through the latest news and offer you a complete answer and documented. No more need to navigate between several web pages to find the information that interests you, here ChatGPT takes care of it for you.
Currently, the feature is available to paid subscribers (ChatGPT Plus), but it is expected to be extended to free version users in the coming months. The idea is simple: to make web searches more natural, more intuitive, while avoiding the pitfalls of a traditional search which requires searching through links and results that are sometimes far removed from our initial query.
To activate ChatGPT’s online search, it’s simple. Follow these few steps:
- In the ChatGPT interfacea small globe-shaped button appears at the bottom of the input bar when search is available. Simply click on it to launch an online query.
- Once enabled, the icon turns blue, signaling that the AI will use this feature to find up-to-date information.
- Type your query, validate and let ChatGPT Search take care of scouring the web for the best possible answer which will then communicate to you.
You can also let ChatGPT decide for itself when online research is necessary. In this case, if a question requires more recent information, the AI will activate the search and draw on online sources to refine its answer. Once searched, the sources used will be displayed below the answer, allowing you to easily check where the information came from.
The challenges for information sites
While ChatGPT simplifies the search for information, it raises questions about the future of information websites. Indeed, with this system, the AI draws on site data, summarizes it and presents it to the user, who may no longer feel the need to consult the sources directly. For content publishers, this change poses a challenge: how to continue to attract traffic when AI becomes an intermediary between their content and Internet users?
Some media have already reacted by signing partnerships with OpenAI to guarantee visibility in this new search interface. However, this does not address the issue of potential traffic decline, which remains a concern for many. Others also question how ChatGPT chooses its sources, because AI algorithms do not always guarantee the diversity of information. This selection, if not rigorously regulated, could lead Internet users to consult a partial vision of certain subjects.
The advantages and limitations of ChatGPT Search
On the one hand, it is undeniable that the search integrated into ChatGPT offers rapid access to information, particularly for current topics. AI allows us to obtain a synthetic response in a few seconds, without having to have multiple open tabs. She can also adapt her answer to the question asked and offer additional information to refine our understanding.
But this speed comes at a cost. First, access to search is limited for free users, which creates an inequality in experience. Then, like any artificial intelligence tool, ChatGPT is not infallible and can make mistakes. Not to mention the fact that AI is dependent on online data, which exposes it to biases present in the sources it consults. Finally, if we become accustomed to research that “chews our work”, we could see our ability to analyze and question the information offered to us diminish.
A practical innovation, but necessary vigilance
By integrating online search, ChatGPT is a game changer, that’s for sure. But the use of this technology implies remaining vigilant regarding the sources and methods of selecting information. For this functionality to truly serve users without harming websites, it would be relevant to better regulate this “assisted search” by encouraging users to consult the original sources directly. Because after all, nothing replaces a visit to a specialized site, where you can find details and in-depth insights that the AI will never be able to fully reproduce.
In short, ChatGPT Search can be useful for occasional searches, but it should not replace consulting information sources. As long as we keep this approach in mind, this new functionality could be an interesting tool, while preserving the online information ecosystem.
Source : OpenAI
