Alex McFarland’s Post

Few have tried OpenAI’s Google killer. Here’s what they think. SAN FRANCISCO — A long-awaited search engine being developed by the maker of ChatGPT is far from ready to replace Google, according to interviews with people who got access to the tool, videos shared online and analysis by a search marketing firm. OpenAI’s SearchGPT uses artificial intelligence to provide slick answers with clearly marked sources, by summarizing information drawn from different webpages. But the search tool struggled with some shopping and local queries, and on some occasions, it presented untrue or “hallucinated” information. “We’re going to take the best features and merge them into ChatGPT,” OpenAI spokeswoman Kayla Wood said in a phone interview about SearchGPT. When asked if OpenAI’s service would include ads, like Google and other established search engines, Wood said the company’s business model was based on subscriptions. But she added that OpenAI hasn’t announced if SearchGPT will be offered free or as part of a ChatGPT subscription. More than 200 million people use ChatGPT every week, the company said last month. Many ask questions that might have previously been typed into Google. But that doesn’t appear to have cut into Google’s business yet: The search giant’s revenue continues to grow, which CEO Sundar Pichai in a July investor call credited in part to “tremendous ongoing momentum in search.” #it #informationtech #informationtechnology #informationandtechnology #equipment #technology #itc #sanfrancisco #openai #google Source: https://lnkd.in/gcSmGFa3

For all the avid internet users out there, Google has long been our go-to. Need directions? Ask google. Need to know what happened where? Ask google. Trying to figure out the latest trends here and there? You got it, ask Google...But now, OpenAi does it again with the ChatGPT search feature; real-time search capabilities, and with summaries too...talk about giving Google a challenge. It’s an AI-powered assistant giving Google a run for its money...but will it be enough to topple the internet giant? https://lnkd.in/eFDfivxF

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐆𝐏𝐓 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭-𝐢𝐧—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫. It’s official: I’m no longer a Googler. For months, #ChatGPT has been my first stop for information, though I still relied on Google for instructional videos and product reviews. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. With this recent update, ChatGPT now lets me toggle between responses from its language model and real-time web search. It pulls reliable sources, cites them directly, and delivers information in a way that’s actually useful. Plus, with the Chrome extension, ChatGPT can now be my browser's default search engine. For decades, Google has dominated search, but now it’s up against challengers like ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Perplexity. Why the shift? 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚: Google profits from turning every query into a multi-click research project, selling top spots to the highest bidder, and guiding you deeper into its ecosystem. Over the years, this model has generated hundreds of billions in revenue. Disrupting themselves—especially when it could risk that revenue stream—might be why we haven’t seen Google make leaps toward a better search experience yet. OpenAI, on the other hand, sidesteps that model entirely. With subscription revenue and the freedom to focus on user experience (and a neat $6.6 billion fundraising boost), they’re delivering a single, search-informed answer that—80% of the time—is exactly what I need. And when I need more, I can dive into sources or follow up with more questions. I still love my Google tools—Gmail, Docs, Drive, etc—and I’m not moving Your Majesty over to Microsoft anytime soon. But for the first time, Google’s grip on search seems... shakier. --- And yes, as you can see, I’m on the hunt for a new espresso machine under €500. Got any tips better than ChatGPT’s?

Since OpenAI released SearchGPT, I’ve been using their Google Chrome plugin as my primary search engine, and I’m really enjoying it! In the past, I’d typically prompt ChatGPT to “research online” instead of turning to Google for specific queries, as Google generally excels at delivering results for standard searches. However, over the past few days, I’ve found myself relying on Google searches far less than usual. I highly recommend trying out SearchGPT as your search engine for a few days to see the difference for yourself! https://lnkd.in/dacGFY_A

While Google's desktop share dipped slightly, its mobile share grew, leading to an overall increase from 90.85% to 91.1% globally. Bing also saw a minor increase, reaching 3.7% globally, while the market share of other search engines dipped. The report highlights the minimal impact of AI-based search engines on Google's dominance. "Emerging AI based search engine traffic still less that 0.3% of Google traffic," Bank of America states. BofA clarifies this includes ChatGPT, whose traffic reportedly declined 12% month-over-month to 98 million visits.

Breaking digital news ⚠️ For the very first time, Google is considering placing its content behind a paywall - specifically premium search including their new AI features and search-generative experience. The Financial Times has reported that the technology giant is debating adding AI-powered search to its premium subscription service (Google One) which currently allows users to access Gemini and Gemini Advanced, Google’s alternative to ChatGPT. While Google is yet to offer an official statement on this news it’s suspected that the decision is based on AI zero-click searches cutting ad revenue, and because the new AI features could cost more to run than the original features. In short, AI zero-click search may affect their business as people wouldn’t have to visit sites to receive the content they’re searching for, and by creating additional server costs in generating AI search. What do you think of the news? Would you be willing to pay for an AI-powered Google search? 🔍 #DigitalMarketing #SGE #Google #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalNews

For even a simple factual question, it has always been a struggle for #search engines to provide precise answers with minimal false positives (and 10+ pages of useless retrieval results). This is an ultimate goal that #ChatGPT and other #NLP-powered conversational #AI chatbots have proved to achieve with remarkable efficiency and user-friendliness. As such, the “existential” purpose of traditional searching tools has become obsolete. It’s hard to understand why Google insists on maintaining its current search engine business model—unless it’s simply due to their inability to develop a truly competitive #AI-driven solution!

Google has reigned supreme in the world of search engines. While various challengers have emerged over the years, few have managed to make a lasting impact. However, the landscape is now shifting, as a new contender has stepped up to the plate - Perplexity. Recently, Perplexity has emerged as a formidable competitor, setting its sights on disrupting Google's longstanding dominance. In response, Google has launched AI Overview, introducing AI capabilities that signal a new era in search technology. Just last week, the introduction of ChatGPT's web search feature has further intensified the competition in the realm of AI-powered search. We are now witnessing a fierce race among these three advanced tools, each vying for user attention and reshaping the future of search engines. It's clear that a new chapter has begun in the search landscape, with profound implications for how we access and navigate information in the digital age. #chatgpt #perplexity #google #searchengines

OpenAI Challenges Google Amid DOJ Antitrust Lawsuit: A New Era of Free-Market Innovation in Search and AI Technology OpenAI has been making significant strides to challenge Google's dominance in search and browser technologies through a series of strategic developments. On July 26, 2024, OpenAI launched SearchGPT, a cutting-edge search engine that combines traditional search functionality with generative AI capabilities. This platform provides users with conversational responses alongside citations to external websites, marking a direct challenge to major players like Google and Bing. By October 31, 2024, OpenAI integrated SearchGPT into ChatGPT, enabling users to access real-time web information directly within the ChatGPT interface. This innovation aimed to enhance the user experience by delivering accurate, up-to-date information seamlessly. On November 21, 2024, reports surfaced that OpenAI is exploring the development of its own web browser. This potential browser, integrated with ChatGPT's capabilities, would provide a personalized, conversational search experience. Additionally, OpenAI has been engaging with web and app developers to power search functionalities on their platforms, signaling a broader ambition to redefine search and browser landscapes. These developments come at a particularly interesting time, given recent news of the Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit against Google, which alleges monopolistic practices in the search and advertising markets. OpenAI's efforts to innovate and disrupt the status quo reflect free-market innovation at work, showcasing how competition fosters advancements in technology and opens up new opportunities for users and businesses alike. #FreeMarketInnovation #AIInnovation #SearchGPT #DOJvsGoogle #TechDisruption https://lnkd.in/gj-zfyhp

Google is considering charging for new “premium” features powered by generative #artificialintelligence, in what would be the biggest ever shake-up of its search business. The proposed revamp to its cash cow search engine would mark the first time the company has put any of its core product behind a paywall, and shows it is still grappling with a technology that threatens its advertising business, almost a year and a half after the debut of ChatGPT. Google is looking at options including adding certain #AI-powered search features to its premium subscription services, which already offer access to its new Gemini AI assistant in Gmail and Docs, according to three people with knowledge of its plans. Engineers are developing the technology needed to deploy the service but executives have not yet made a final decision on whether or when to launch it, one of the people said. Google’s traditional search engine would remain free of charge, while ads would continue to appear alongside search results even for subscribers. But charging would represent the first time that Google — which for many years offered free consumer services funded entirely by advertising — has made people pay for enhancements to its core search product. Source: FT