The move by Sam Altman’s company is a direct challenge to Google|World Economic Forum|CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

ChatGPT maker OpenAI is testing its latest AI search engine, SearchGPT. The move is the most direct challenge to Google.

SearchGPT is currently in a prototype phase with 10,000 users.

The tool can reportedly browse the entire internet and news sources like The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic to give answers. It can even answer follow-up questions. The move signals the beginning of a competitive battle in the AI search market.

The announcement of SearchGPT caused a 3% drop in Google’s stock price, indicating the high stakes in the AI search wars.

Microsoft entered the race in February 2023 by integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its Bing search engine. Google quickly responded with its own AI search tool, initially called Bard and later renamed Gemini. But it lost big when its product gave incorrect or bizarre results.

As of June 2024, Google held over 90% of the global search market, while Microsoft Bing’s share was around 3.7%.