AP Technology

OpenAI tests ChatGPT-powered search engine that could compete with Google

FILE - The OpenAI logo appears on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen with random binary data, March 9, 2023, in Boston. San Francisco-based OpenAI said Thursday, July 25, 2024, it is releasing a preview of the SearchGPT to a small group of users and publishers for feedback. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — OpenAI is testing a ChatGPT-powered search engine that could put the artificial intelligence company in direct competition with search giant Google and affect the flow of internet traffic seeking news and other timely information.

San Francisco-based OpenAI said Thursday it is releasing a preview of the SearchGPT feature to get feedback from a small group of users and publishers.

Google upended its search engine in May with AI-generated written summaries now frequently appearing at the top of search results. The summaries aim to quickly answer a user’s search query so that they don’t necessarily need to click a link and visit another website for more information.

Google’s makeover came after a year of testing with a small group of users, but still resulted in errors showing the risks of ceding the search for information to AI chatbots.

OpenAI’s close business partner, Microsoft, is also testing AI summaries on its Bing search engine.

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