OpenAI Set to Launch Google Search Competitor on May 13

According to sources familiar with the matter, OpenAI plans to announce its artificial intelligence-powered search product on Monday, May 13, escalating its competition with Google in the search realm. The announcement date, not previously disclosed, signals OpenAI’s strategic move in challenging Google’s dominance. Both Bloomberg and the Information have previously reported on OpenAI’s efforts, backed by Microsoft, to develop a search product to rival Google and Perplexity, another well-funded AI search startup.

The specifics of OpenAI’s search product suggest it’s an extension of their ChatGPT flagship product. This innovative offering allows ChatGPT to access and integrate information directly from the web, including citations. ChatGPT, known for generating human-like responses to text prompts, has often been considered an alternative for sourcing online information. However, it has faced challenges in providing accurate real-time data. OpenAI previously integrated ChatGPT with Microsoft’s Bing for paid subscribers. Google, on the other hand, has been enhancing its own search engine with generative AI features.

Perplexity, founded by a former OpenAI researcher, has gained traction with its AI-native search interface, boasting a valuation of $1 billion and 10 million monthly active users. While OpenAI’s ChatGPT reached 100 million monthly active users rapidly after its late 2022 launch, its traffic has fluctuated in the past year, only recently returning to peak levels from May 2023. OpenAI’s attempt to incorporate updated real-world information into ChatGPT through ChatGPT plugins was retired in April, as indicated by a help center posting on OpenAI’s website.