In a major shift for the digital landscape, OpenAI has introduced a real-time web search feature in ChatGPT, directly challenging Google’s long-standing search model.
On Thursday, the startup unveiled SearchGPT, an artificial intelligence-powered engine, designed to deliver real-time updates on sports scores, breaking news, weather, and even stock quotes and more. This latest development provides users with instant, conversational answers with live source attribution, allowing ChatGPT to tap into a growing demand for immediacy and relevance.
As Jazmin Green, Head of Enterprise SEO at OMG notes, “This was a necessary development for ChatGPT, whose main challenge has been misinformation in its results.” Historically, ChatGPT’s data sources have included open forums like Reddit and Quora, which– while often valuable– tend to lean more toward opinions than facts. “It’s similar to how we’ve been advised not to rely on Wikipedia,” Green adds. “The open-edit nature of these platforms means content isn’t always factual.” This makes ChatGPT’s shift to a search model grounded in credible sources a vital step forward.
Adding to the complexity, ChatGPT’s search feature currently operates on Bing’s US-based data, regardless of where users are located. This means international users are seeing results from a mix of US-centric perspectives, an important consideration as the platform expands its reach globally.
However, this advancement goes beyond simply reshaping user preferences; it’s prompting industry-wide innovation and redefining how we think about SEO.
What does this mean for SEO?
Despite ChatGPT’s impressive milestone of processing around 10 million queries daily, this still represents a small fraction of Google’s staggering 8.5 billion daily searches. However, with 20 million weekly active users worldwide, ChatGPT is steadily gaining traction and evolving into a go-to platform, and ultimately a competitive player in search.
For SEO professionals, ChatGPT’s growth doesn’t signify the end of SEO– rather, it highlights the role as more critical than ever. As Green puts it, “ChatGPT’s rise doesn’t mean the end of SEO—it means our jobs just got even more interesting. As ChatGPT evolves, our strategies at OMG must evolve with it, ensuring our clients stay ahead.”
The competition brought about by the changes in the search landscape prompts a shift in the SEO industry towards a deeper emphasis on user engagement and authenticity. OpenAI’s approach has accelerated a new era in SEO where relevance, authority, and a highly engaging user experience are more crucial than ever. We can expect Google to adapt, most likely evolving its tools to maintain its leadership status and helping creators align with these new demands.
As Jim Limberis, OMG’s Head of SEO, sees it: “Competition with AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT compels us all to innovate, ensuring search delivers true value and efficiency for users. Google will rise to the challenge, leading an era where content must meet relevance, authority, depth, and insightfulness.”
ChatGPT’s real-time search model sets a new industry standard, one that promises to enhance the user experience, inspire continuous improvement, and drive the industry forward.
At Online Marketing Gurus, we’re excited to see this competition unfold and remain committed to harnessing these advancements to ensure our clients thrive at every stage of their digital marketing journey. We’ll be keeping a close eye on how ChatGPT and other AI-driven platforms continue to evolve, adapting our strategies to ensure we and our clients stay ahead of the ever-changing digital landscape.
