OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search Brings Real-Time Internet Access with GPT-4o

• OpenAI unveils ChatGPT Search with GPT-4o, allowing real-time access to live web data.  
• The feature provides instant information on news, sports, stocks, weather, and more.  
• Major partnerships with news providers ensure credible sourcing for user queries.

OpenAI has launched a real-time search feature for ChatGPT, marking a notable expansion in its capabilities and posing fresh competition to major search engines Google and Bing. The new feature, known as ChatGPT Search, utilizes OpenAI’s advanced GPT-4o model to deliver fast, up-to-the-minute answers directly from the web. 

Available to ChatGPT Plus and Team users on both mobile and web platforms, this feature enables quick access to information on sports results, stock trends, breaking news, weather, and other current topics.

This new tool allows users to initiate a web search by simply tapping a “web search” option, giving greater control over how they access information. According to OpenAI, the GPT-4o model driving ChatGPT Search has been fine-tuned to provide comprehensive answers and links to reliable sources. 

This approach leverages data from multiple web platforms to ensure the depth and accuracy of responses. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has noted the tool’s conversational accessibility as a core advantage, expressing that it delivers immediate insights with a user-friendly experience.

To strengthen content credibility, OpenAI has partnered with prominent news organizations, including Associated Press, Reuters, and Financial Times, among others. These alliances support reliable sourcing, especially for news-focused and time-sensitive inquiries. 

For publishers concerned about potential traffic loss from AI-based summaries, OpenAI has implemented features like in-line and sidebar attributions, allowing users to click directly on links to primary sources. 

Plans for broader access to ChatGPT Search include extensions to ChatGPT Enterprise and educational users in the upcoming weeks, with eventual access for free-tier users anticipated in the coming months.

OpenAI has also announced intentions to integrate ChatGPT Search with its voice-activated Advanced Voice Mode, allowing users to perform real-time searches using voice commands. 

Additionally, OpenAI aims to enhance search capabilities for applications like shopping and travel by leveraging its o1 “reasoning” models, which is part of its ongoing commitment to improving AI research tools.