Google’s Search Supremacy is Being Challenged by OpenAI’s SearchGPT

When it comes to online searching, not all search engines are the same, and there is a good deal of personal preference when selecting an engine to carry out your search desires. That said, undeniably, most people tend to head over to Google, with the term ‘Googling’ has been a part of the Oxford English Dictionary since 2006. 

Google is the search engine of choice because it is, quite frankly, miles ahead of all of the opposition. This is mainly because it has an algorithm that is well-designed and does things that others don’t. Google’s algorithm is fundamentally built on intricate mathematical formulae and machine learning to assess and prioritise web sites according to several criteria. Relevance, authority, freshness, and user experience are all influential factors in deciding the ranking of a website in search results.  

But, the reasons for its success as a search engine are even more basic than that; The key is in Google’s advanced crawling and indexing technology. Known as spiders, Google’s army of bots constantly searches the web following links from one website to another and compiles data along the way. These bots update Google’s index in real time and crawl millions of pages per day, hence quite efficient.

However, it’s about prioritising as much as speed. Google’s algorithms are made to initially crawl and index the most significant and relevant pages first, therefore guaranteeing that consumers always have access to the most current data. Allied to this, Google spends a lot of time and effort tinkering with the engine. To match evolving user behaviour and technology developments, they are continually refining and modifying the algorithm. This dedication to creativity guarantees that Google keeps ahead of the curve and provides the most accurate and current findings available.

Google has the right to feel pretty smug about the power of their search engine, but that may be about to change, courtesy of OpenAI – the Elon Musk-fronted San Fransisco tech giant – and the power of AI. SearchGPT is making big waves, and it may have the power to make Google look like Ask Jeeves.

Using AI to Drive Search Engines

In order to directly challenge Google’s dominance in the internet search industry, OpenAI has introduced SearchGPT, a prototype search engine that is driven by artificial intelligence-based technology.

OpenAI’s superior language models and real-time web information are going to be combined in the new prototype search engine, which claims to offer answers that are both quick and timely, as well as sources that are both clear and relevant. SearchGPT provides its customers with a conversational interface, which enables them to ask follow-up questions and construct context for the entirety of their search experience. SearchGPT aims to out-Google Google, and grab the title of the world’s best search engine.  

But gaining that coveted position is going to take more than just having a search algorithm that out-Google’s Google; it has to gain the trust of users, such as businesses, who may view AI as a bit of a threat. That’s a tall ask, but OpenAI is trying to do that by not only being vigilant with how real or true the information is, but by also offering links and sources for the entries, so that users can check it for themselves. In a world where we are starting to have to question almost everything we see and read on the Internet, that is a refreshing take.

Another issue with bespoke AI engines is that they are proprietary and have required extensive development. Therefore, they tend to have a monetary value, which the owner would like to recoup. Currently there are no public search engines that require a subscription, but conversely, there isn’t an AI engine of worth that doesn’t require at least a log-on, and in a growing number of cases, there is a paywall. Do we really want to be in a position where we have to pay for searches, regardless of how good or tailored to our needs it may be?

Let’s make no mistake; Google has had a great run – and is gently developing its own AI anyway – but the next King of the Hill is likely to be the company that can get a mainstream and free AI based search-engine up and running, and that could seriously be SearchGPT.

The war of the modern search engines is starting to really heat up and with huge profits potentially in the offing, there are going to be plenty of players ready to jump in and fight for the top spot. We’re okay with that, provided that the service is free to use and properly curated.