OpenAI Expands ChatGPT Search Access: No Login Required

ChatGPT Search No Longer Requires an OpenAI Login

ChatGPT is making some changes to its artificial intelligence tool, announcing this week that its ChatGPT search feature, which acts like a search engine, is now available to anyone on the chatgpt.com website, without the need to sign up. ChatGPT can search the internet and provide links to relevant web sources. You can use natural language to ask for up-to-date sports scores, news, stock quotes and other information. If you type in a question, you can choose to press the web search icon located below the question bar. You'll then see a series of links from trusted sources. As with any use of AI, you should be aware of potential factual errors, because AI chatbots are known for hallucinations, or presenting false information as true. The provided links can assist with fact-checking. In October, the company rolled out ChatGPT search to ChatGPT Plus and Team users, as well as SearchGPT waitlist users, and expanded in December to logged-in users. The search feature is part of a greater effort to provide ChatGPT with more-useful answers, and this latest news comes as OpenAI continues to ramp up its efforts to be more widespread. Last month, OpenAI introduced a new AI agent called Operator, designed to make everyday tasks easier, from making dinner reservations to ordering groceries to filling out forms. Read more: Generative AI: What You Need to Know About the Tech Behind ChatGPT OpenAI and ChatGPT also face increased competition, not only from US players such as Google and Anthropic but from Chinese startup DeepSeek.

You No Longer Need an OpenAI Login to Use ChatGPT Search

ChatGPT just got a lot more like Google. Parent company OpenAI announced that its ChatGPT Search feature, which acts like a search engine, is now available for logged-out users for the first time. Similar to the logged-in experience, ChatGPT can now search the internet and provide links to relevant web sources. People can use natural language to ask for up-to-date sports scores, news, stock quotes and other information. Read more: Generative AI: What You Need to Know About the Tech Behind ChatGPT Users typing in questions can choose to press the web search icon located below the question bar. It will then display a series of links at the bottom from trusted sources. As with any use of AI, users should be aware of potential factual errors, as AI chatbots are known for hallucinations, or presenting false information as true. The provided links can assist with fact-checking. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman retweeted the news on Thursday, adding: "Make search great again." In October, the company rolled out ChatGPT search to ChatGPT Plus and Team users, as well as SearchGPT waitlist users, and expanded in December to logged-in users. The change is part of a greater effort to provide ChatGPT with more useful answers. It also comes as OpenAI continues to ramp up its efforts to be more ubiquitous. Last month, OpenAI introduced a new AI agent called Operator, designed to make everyday tasks easier, from making dinner reservations and ordering groceries to filling out forms. OpenAI and ChatGPT also face increased competition not only from US players such as Google and Anthropic but from Chinese startup DeepSeek.

OpenAI's ChatGPT Search is now free to use without a login

ChatGPT is becoming more accessible to the masses. Its ChatGPT Search feature is now available without having to log in to the popular chatbot. Parent company OpenAI has also confirmed that ChatGPT Search will be free to use- the feature works similarly to a search engine. When accessing the service's web address, ChatGPT you will see ChatGPT Search front and center, with a message saying "What can I help you with?" You can immediately input your query into the text box. At the bottom of the text box are options that say "Search" and "Reason." The Search option is the option that allows you to use the page without logging in. Selecting the Reason option will prompt you to log in or sign up to access ChatGPT. The login and sign-up options have been moved to the left and right sides of the web page. Notably, ChatGPT Search offers additional and more recent information, from how ChatGPT typically functions, such as up-to-date sports scores, news, stock quotes, and more. CNET noted like most AI tools, the search option is still susceptible to hallucinations or providing false information. Users should opt for fact-checking with the provided links. Recommended Videos ChatGPT Search has been available since October 2024 and has been a direct competition to Google's Gemini features as the brand fleshes out its own AI services. Google is currently in-house testing a feature called AI Mode that would bring a more contextual experience to its Google Search engine. Other competition has been Anthropic, as well as the Chinese AI brand, DeepSeek. make search great again https://t.co/AsLmkqaR68 — Sam Altman (@sama) February 6, 2025 OpenAI CEO Sam Altman retweeted the announcement of ChatGPT Search being made public, adding: "Make search great again." This isn't the only feature of OpenAI's that it is making more ubiquitous. Microsoft is now offering the OpenAI o1 model for free through a new toggle called 'Think Deeper' as a part of its Copilot chat. OpenAI's latest reasoning models are typically exclusive to its paid subscription plans and can cost up to $200 to access. However, those with a Microsoft account can access the feature powered by the o1 model for free. OpenAI has also recently announced other tools including an AI agent called Operator and the o3 mini reasoning model.

ChatGPT search is now available to all users, even those without an account

OpenAI's ChatGPT web search feature is now available for everyone, even those without an account. On Wednesday, OpenAI posted on social media platform X to announce that the ChatGPT search feature had officially been rolled out to all users without the need to sign up or log in. The ChatGPT web search feature launched in late October last year. It is integrated directly into OpenAI's ChatGPT AI chatbot at chatgpt.com. Users simply click the search button to use the search function. ChatGPT then answers their query in a typical conversational AI chatbot fashion. However, ChatGPT also includes relevant information from the Internet, including photos and links citing where it sourced its information. The links are presented in a search engine-esque way. When the search feature initially launched, it was only available to paying ChatGPT subscribers. In December of last year, OpenAI rolled out ChatGPT search to all users who were already logged into an account. Now, anyone can use ChatGPT search without an account. A recent report from search engine optimization company Semrush found that while Google still has billions more search users than ChatGPT, OpenAI's chatbot product was starting to send more and more search traffic to third-party websites. It will be interesting to observe how users change their online search habits as new options, such as ChatGPT search, become more widely available.

ChatGPT Search no longer requires an OpenAI account to use

If you've been married to Google, now is a good time to try something new. OpenAI is showing no signs of slowing down its recent pace of updates. On Wednesday, the company announced the expanded availability of ChatGPT Search. After rolling out the tool first to paid subscribers last fall, and then making it available to all logged-in free users at the end of 2024, now anyone can use ChatGPT Search with no account or sign-in necessary. "Like the logged-in experience, ChatGPT can search the web and get you fast, timely answers with links to relevant web sources directly in ChatGPT," OpenAI said. In most cases, ChatGPT will automatically search the web to source the most up-to-date information related to your question. Users can also force the chatbot to scour the internet by tapping the "Search" button below the prompt bar. Effectively, today's announcement means OpenAI is ready to take on Google's dominance in search, though, if I had to guess, right now it's more concerned about staying ahead of upstarts like DeepSeek. In just the last week, the company announced the availability of its latest AI model, and a new ChatGPT feature called Deep Research. Oh, and it even showed off a new logo.

ChatGPT makes previously paid feature available to everyone - no login required

TL;DR: OpenAIhas removed the login requirement for ChatGPT's AI-powered search, making another formerly paid feature free for all users. Amidst the rising competition from DeepSeek, OpenAI has been rushing to fortify its market share by making more features available to free users. In a recent development, OpenAI has announced they'll be making AI-powered search available to everyone, regardless of whether they have an account. OpenAI posted the announcement to X on Wednesday. The feature was first released to paid users in October 2024, and made available for users with accounts in December. The move follows a string of feature releases previously only available on paid plans. OpenAI's latest reasoning model, o3-mini, was made available for free for free on the 31st of January. Prior to that, OpenAI's o1-mini was also made openly available without a fee. (Credit: OpenAI) Since DeepSeek's r1 model burst onto the scene in late January, AI firms have significantly accelerated the pace of their feature rollouts. On Wednesday, Google released its Gemini 2.0 series of models, which included the freemium Gemini 2.0 Flash. Similarly, OpenAI quickly pushed out their AI agent tools 'Operator' and 'Deep Research' in rapid succession. With competition continuing to rise, the benefits of the latest AI advancements are fortunately passed onto the consumer. DeepSeek's r1's breakthrough in the development of low-cost AI models significantly altered the business model associated with AI tools, and the gap between small and large firms is only continuing to shrink. You can expect to see more free tools become available in the coming months. To put ChatGPT's AI-powered search engine to the test - head straight to their website and click the 'search' toggle.

ChatGPT search just became a serious Google rival

The update strengthens ChatGPT's position as a direct alternative to Google. As always, things are moving fast at OpenAI. The AI giant introduced its web search feature to ChatGPT Plus subscribers in late October and then expanded it to free users in December, but it wasn't stopping there. The final barrier was removed today, and users can now access ChatGPT search without even signing in. The update was announced on Wednesday afternoon by OpenAI on X, accompanied by a screenshot of ChatGPT search on a logged-out phone screen and a caption reading, "ChatGPT search is now available to everyone on chatgpt.com -- no sign up required." It's a logical step. By removing the need for an account, OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT as a more direct alternative to traditional search engines like Google. Many internet users have already switched to ChatGPT for web searches as the results aren't scattered with adverts, and this removes another friction layer. It also means users who are hesitant to commit to an OpenAI account can test the service more casually. We tried the service, and it works as advertised. It provided an AI-generated summary answer to the question and cited the web sources. It remains to be seen how this change will affect engagement and user adoption. While it could attract a wider audience, some features -- such as personalized conversations and memory -- may remain exclusive to logged-in users. OpenAI hasn't indicated any limits on the number of searches available to guests or if other restrictions will apply.

ChatGPT search can now be used without signing in with your account: All details

ChatGPT search was first launched in October 2024 for paid subscribers and later expanded to free-tier users in December. OpenAI is making ChatGPT search even more accessible. Previously available only to logged-in users, the feature can now be used by anyone -- no account required. OpenAI announced this change on X (formerly Twitter). "ChatGPT search is now available to everyone on http://chatgpt.com -- no sign up required," the AI company said. ChatGPT search was first launched in October 2024 for paid subscribers and later expanded to free-tier users in December. Until now, users needed to be logged into a ChatGPT account to access it. However, OpenAI has now removed that requirement, making the AI-powered search engine available to everyone. This move aligns ChatGPT search more closely with traditional search engines like Google, allowing users to quickly find information without an account. Whether you're looking for local restaurant recommendations, tech updates, or general knowledge, ChatGPT search can provide direct answers, web links, and even images. Also read: ChatGPT Search is rolling out to all users for free: Here's what you need to know Along with expanding access in December, OpenAI also improved how ChatGPT search presents information, especially on mobile devices. When searching for local places or businesses, the results now include images, ratings, operating hours, and even directions on a map -- similar to Google Search. Another key improvement that was announced was how ChatGPT handles website-specific searches. If you're looking for hotel booking sites or online shopping platforms, the search tool will prioritise showing direct website links before providing detailed information. Also read: OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pro subscription plan: What it offers and how much it costs While free access to ChatGPT search is open to all, paid users still get some exclusive benefits. For instance, if you're using Advanced Voice Mode on a paid plan, ChatGPT can pull real-time information from the web to deliver more accurate and up-to-date results. I believe that by removing the login requirement, OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT search as a serious alternative to traditional search engines. But the question is if ChatGPT search can really dominate Google Search.

ChatGPT's web search is now open to everyone - no sign-up or login required

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What just happened? OpenAI has made ChatGPT's web search tool accessible to everyone without needing to log in or sign up first. The feature, which is integrated into the AI chatbot and available on chatgpt.com, was launched last October before expanding to more users later in the year. To access the web search feature, users simply need to navigate to the website, click on the search button, and enter their query. ChatGPT will then scrape the web for relevant information and respond in a conversational manner, like an AI chatbot. Like any other traditional search engine, ChatGPT's replies include photos and links to the websites from which it sourced its information. The feature is also available on the Android app but has not yet rolled out to iOS at the time of writing. At this stage, there's no official clarification from OpenAI about when it will be available on Apple's App Store, but it's likely to happen sooner rather than later. ChatGPT's web search feature was initially only available to paying ChatGPT subscribers, but in December 2024, OpenAI rolled it out to all users with a free ChatGPT account. However, many industry observers believed that OpenAI would need to make the feature available to everybody - regardless of whether they have a ChatGPT account or not - for it to have any chance of disrupting the web search market. The Guardian reported in December that OpenAI's web search feature is vulnerable to prompt injection techniques. As per the report, if a website uses hidden text to send incorrect information using HTML or CSS, the AI tool picks it up and generates biased output. The flaw could be exploited to propagate misinformation, including fake reviews of products on e-commerce sites. Additionally, the report claimed that prompt injections in hidden text could also be used to deliver malicious code from websites. The technique could be used by unscrupulous website publishers to generate favorable reviews of their products on AI search tools and deceive users in various other ways. It is unclear whether OpenAI has fixed the issue. Vulnerabilities notwithstanding, the move to offer AI-based web search to all users could pose Google its biggest challenge since its inception nearly three decades ago. Google is currently the leading search engine in the world, accounting for nearly 90 percent of all web searches between January 2024 and January 2025. However, OpenAI's latest move could put pressure on Google as ChatGPT search becomes widely available.

ChatGPT Search Now Works Without an Account

OpenAI's ChatGPT Search feature was previously only for paid subscribers and later opened to all logged-in users. Now, the search feature is available to everyone without creating or logging into an account, making ChatGPT a real competitor to Google. The search tool works a lot like a typical search engine, letting users get quick answers to their questions and links to the sources directly in the ChatGPT interface. It usually performs web searches automatically to give the latest information, but users can also start a manual web search using a specific button if they prefer. You can use the search on the official website. This update makes ChatGPT Search more accessible to people, but since it's open to everyone, it is a contender for Google and Microsoft, alongside other big search engines. By removing account requirements, the goal seems to be to attract more users and compete better in the search engine market. That doesn't mean it will immediately be a significant competitor. Google has so much popularity behind it that it's hard to say any other engine will take over. The idea of searching online is almost synonymous with Google. So, even though ChatGPT is popular, it is not as popular as a service like Bing, which is Google's main rival. Recently, OpenAI launched a new AI model and a new ChatGPT feature called Deep Research. The company also introduced a new logo for ChatGPT, showing that there is a big push to make the service more identifiable and popular. The speed of these releases suggests that OpenAI is actively trying to innovate, which may be because of competition in the AI market like DeepSeek. The new account-less ChatGPT Search makes it easier for users to access the service, which could attract people who don't want to create OpenAI accounts. This simpler setup may lead to more people using the platform and sharing data, and helping OpenAI improve its search features. Source: ChatGPT, Engadget

ChatGPT drops its sign-in requirement for search

Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. ChatGPT no longer requires you to log in to use the AI chatbot's search engine, OpenAI announced on Wednesday. With the feature, ChatGPT will surface responses based on information from the web while presenting a list of sources it used to inform its answer. OpenAI first launched its search engine to paid ChatGPT subscribers last October and later rolled it out to everyone in December. But now that you no longer need an account to use it, ChatGPT search will compete directly with search engines like Google and Bing. The AI "answer" engine Perplexity also lets you search the web without an account and recently rolled out an integration that sources hotel information and ratings directly from TripAdvisor. A recent update to ChatGPT search makes it look more like a traditional search engine, allowing you to view a map and images of local attractions, along with a brief description of each result.

ChatGPT Search is now open to everyone -- no account required

ChatGPT is coming for Google, with the latest update opening up the ChatGPT Search feature to even more people. This feature was initially released to paid subscribers and account holders last year, but now OpenAI has made Search freely available to everyone -- regardless of whether you have a ChatGPT account or not. OpenAI announced this news in a post on X, along with a link to ChatGPT's website. As promised, the search feature is available, and upon being asked "how old is the oldest tree," the AI brought up a bunch of information and source links to back that up. For anyone interested, the oldest individual tree is estimated to be 4,800 years old while a root system in Utah is approximately 18,000 years old. Or so says ChatGPT Search. If you have a question for ChatGPT, it tends to just search the web for an answer anyway. The difference with search is that ChatGPT seems to be offering more in-depth information, while also adding links to the sources to back that information up. Just remember to click the "Search" button at the bottom of the chat box to prompt ChatGPT to search the web. Sadly, there are ways for ChatGPT to try and force you to log in, including what it deems "suspicious activity." In my case, that means asking the same couple of questions multiple times to try and see how different the results are. Clearly, ChatGPT has very little patience for silly questions, which is something I can definitely relate to. So if you're tired of Google search for whatever reason, then you don't have to switch to Bing or DuckDuckGo. ChatGPT Search is another option for you, so long as you're happy with AI-generated search results rather than the traditional kind.

OpenAI makes ChatGPT search available to all users, no sign-up required

With the recent update, anyone can access the search engine without needing to create an account, further streamlining the user experience and broadening the availability of this tool.OpenAI announced that users no longer need to log in to use ChatGPT's search engine, making it more accessible than ever. Previously known as SearchGPT, the AI chatbot's search feature was first introduced in October 2024, and it was initially available on a subscription basis. It later expanded to signed-in users by the end of 2024. Now, with the recent update, anyone can access the search engine without needing to create an account, further streamlining the user experience and broadening the availability of this tool. Also Read : Winter storm disruptions: Schools closed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut - Full list here In a post on X (formerly Twitter), OpenAI stated, "ChatGPT search is now available to everyone on chatgpt.com -- no sign up required." An OpenAI representative, speaking to Cybernews, explained that, similar to the logged-in experience, ChatGPT is capable of searching the web to provide quick and up-to-date answers, complete with relevant links to online sources. The spokesperson also mentioned that ChatGPT will either automatically search the web based on the user's query or allow users to manually initiate a web search. Launched in late October, the ChatGPT web search feature was integrated into OpenAI's AI chatbot at chatgpt.com. Users could easily activate the search function by clicking a button, after which ChatGPT responded to their queries in a conversational style. What set this feature apart was its ability to provide real-time, relevant information from the web, including images and links that cited the sources of its data, presented in a format similar to a traditional search engine. By the end of 2024, ChatGPT saw around 4.79 billion monthly visitors, with over 100 million users engaging weekly and spending an average of nine minutes per session. Also Read : Milwaukee Bucks trade Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma in major deal with Washington Wizards AI chatbots, such as those from OpenAI, are capable of searching through vast amounts of data and providing concise summaries. Some of the well-known chatbots in this field include OpenAI's ChatGPT, xAI Grok, Anthropic Claude, Meta AI, Deepseek V3 and Google Gemini among others. 1. What is ChatGPT Search? ChatGPT Search helps the chatbot find real-time information from the web to give better, up-to-date answers. 2. How did ChatGPT Search begin? Originally called SearchGPT, ChatGPT Search was launched in October 2024 on a subscription basis. By the end of the year, the feature was expanded to include signed-in users.

OpenAI Has Made ChatGPT Search Accessible To Everyone By Removing The Sign-In Requirement For Using The Platform

OpenAI has grown massively and keeps evolving by introducing new features and products as it remains determined to maintain its position in the AI industry. There is no denying that the company has revolutionized technology and its potential with the introduction of ChatGPT and has now extended its service widely by appealing to an array of users. Previously, to use the capabilities of ChatGPT, users had to go through a signing-in requirement, but the tech giant is arduously working towards bringing a more seamless experience forward and has now announced access to the search engine feature for everyone without going through the signing-in process. Users who wanted to use ChatGPT Search previously needed an account and had to fulfill the sign-in requirement to access the search engine feature. Many platform users found the process less seamless, and OpenAI did take notice of this inconvenience. The company took it to X to announce that now everyone can use ChatGPT Search without having to go through a cumbersome sign-up process. While many of the users shared their joy over this upgrade and even suggested that the change could be credited to DeepSeek's growing popularity, some of the ChatGPT users with membership expressed dismay over this change and even went on to claim that they would cancel their subscriptions. Others voiced how this move is a major convenience, opens doors to a wider user base, and can be a game changer for the company by helping it take over Google's dominance in the domain. Users can access the ChatGPT Search on the ChatGPT website or use the tool through mobile apps or desktops. All they have to do is enter a prompt or query and click the search icon, and the platform will do the rest of the work. Users can engage in a natural conversation style to receive web-sourced information, and they can also ask follow-up questions to gain more clarity. ChatGPT retains content, which helps the tool provide tailored responses to the prompts. With the new update to the ChatGPT Search, users can feel the tool mirroring traditional search engines wherein users can go through images of local attractions, see maps, and even get brief descriptions of the search results. Many end users are no longer enticed by Google's algorithm and looking actively to transition. With the seamless access now, a wide variety of people might find it worth exploring.

You Can Now Use the ChatGPT Search Feature Even Without Signing Up

ChatGPT Search can dig through websites to find relevant answers OpenAI is expanding the ChatGPT Search feature to everyone without the need to sign up for the platform. The company announced the rollout of the feature on Wednesday and highlighted that anyone across the world can access the AI platform and start using the AI firm's native search engine-powered feature to ask queries. Notably, the company first released the feature in November 2024 to paid subscribers. Later in December 2024, it was rolled out to the users on the free tier as well. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the official handle of OpenAI announced the expansion of the search feature. With this, anyone visiting the ChatGPT website can ask the chatbot real-time queries that require sourcing the information from the web. Gadgets 360 staff members were able to see the feature on the Android app as well. However, it appears to not have been rolled out to the iOS app at the time of writing this. It might be rolled out in the coming days. For those without an OpenAI account, the feature will be powered by the GPT-4o AI model. On the ChatGPT interface, users will see a globe icon placed next to the 'Attach file' icon in the text field. Tapping the globe icon will manually trigger the web search mode, and the chatbot will only use information found on the web to answer user responses. The feature also displays the source of the information in two ways. After every sentence, wherever the information was used, a clickable icon highlights the particular source. The list of sources, also clickable, is also mentioned at the bottom of the response. OpenAI has not announced any rate limits for the ChatGPT Search feature for unregistered users. Those on the free tier do not have a rate limit for the feature. Separately, a recent report claimed that the feature is vulnerable to prompt injection techniques. It was found that if a website uses hidden text to send misinformation, the AI tool picks them up and starts generating biased output. It is unclear when OpenAI has fixed the issue.

It's easier than ever to use ChatGPT Search -- sign-in no longer needed

Table of Contents Table of Contents What's the difference between ChatGPT and ChatGPT Search? How can I use ChatGPT Search? You no longer need to sign in to use ChatGPT Search. "ChatGPT search is now available to everyone on chatgpt.com," OpenAI said in a post on X announcing the change, adding, "No sign up required." Recommended Videos The move makes it easier than ever to use ChatGPT Search, and increases the pressure on Google, which has dominated online search for decades. Other search-focused AI chatbots like Perplexity may also feel the impact of ChatGPT Search becoming more accessible. OpenAI launched ChatGPT Search in October 2024, about two years after it released its regular AI-powered chatbot, which quickly garnered worldwide attention for the way it responded to online queries in a conversational way, saving users from having to trawl through endless search results to find what they're looking for. What's the difference between ChatGPT and ChatGPT Search? The regular ChatGPT chatbot is trained on a huge dataset up to a specific cutoff date and doesn't access real-time information, whereas ChatGPT Search accesses dynamic, real-time information. The AI chatbot is considered ideal for tasks like creative writing, brainstorming, and general knowledge inquiries that don't require access to recent data, whereas ChatGPT Search is useful for obtaining the latest news, weather updates, stock prices, and other time-sensitive information. Another key difference is that ChatGPT Search lists its sources, including links, so you can click through to particular pages to find out more, if you wish. This makes it very similar to one of its popular rivals, Perplexity. How can I use ChatGPT Search? On the web interface, you simply head to ChatGPT.com and click on the "Search" button inside the prompt box. Once you've selected it, you're good to enter your prompt. As part of the response, you'll see small boxes showing the origins of the sources. Click on one to visit the page from which ChatGPT pulled its information. Additionally, you can hit the "Sources" button at the end of the response, which brings up a column showing the sources in list form. OpenAI is having a busy start to the year, recently launching an AI agent called Operator, which autonomously performs web-based tasks, and also Deep Research, an AI system that autonomously conducts multi-step research tasks, with both features designed to enhance user productivity.

ChatGPT Search is now free for everyone, no OpenAI account required - is it time to ditch Google?

ChatGPT Search is now available to everyone, regardless of whether you're signed into an OpenAI account or not. OpenAI announced the major update on X, bringing ChatGPT Search to the masses, without creating an account or giving any personal information to the world leaders in AI. ChatGPT Search is a search engine powered by, you guessed it, ChatGPT. It allows you to quickly search the web in the same way you would with Google Search, but get more in-depth results and summaries alongside sources. OpenAI says, "ChatGPT can search the web and get you fast, timely answers with links to relevant web sources directly in ChatGPT. ChatGPT will choose to search the web based on what you ask, or you can manually choose to search by clicking the web search icon." Until now, ChatGPT Search was completely free to use but you needed to sign into an OpenAI account before being able to look anything up. Now, users can use it just by accessing ChatGPT.com. This is an excellent addition to ChatGPT, which has been free to use without an OpenAI account for a while and could be the turning point for AI search engines as more and more people look for Google alternatives. ChatGPT Search will roll out to logged-out users over the next few days, so if you don't see the Search icon under your prompt today, try again tomorrow! ChatGPT Search is built into ChatGPT and wants to make the AI chatbot your go-to for all your information. In the past, ChatGPT would have a knowledge cut-off date that meant you couldn't ask for information about things that were happening in the world at the time of your prompt. With ChatGPT Search that has completely changed, and ChatGPT can now give you up-to-date information on everything from world politics to the latest sports scores. Google Search is engrained in society, most of the world's population with access to the internet use Google on a daily, if not hourly basis. OpenAI's alternative is an excellent option for those who want more from a search engine but I find myself opting to use my trusty ol' buddy Google more often than ChatGPT Search, even if it's not quite as knowledgeable. The joy of the internet is curating your own sources and choosing where you want to get information from. As it stands, ChatGPT Search's approach doesn't really work for me as I want to be in control of what I consume, and having a summary from multiple sources doesn't always give me that. ChatGPT Search is still in its infancy, and it's bound to improve over time. If you haven't ever tried an AI-powered search engine before, there's never been a better time. But is it time to ditch Google Search? I'm not convinced.

You can access ChatGPT Search without an account now - here's how

The best way to get the most out of an AI chatbot is verifying its sources and letting it direct you to more robust and useful content regarding the topic. Therefore, AI search engines are a powerful tool for everyday workflows, and, now, accessing ChatGPT Search just got a whole lot easier. Also: How to make ChatGPT provide better sources and citations On Wednesday, OpenAI shared via an X post that ChatGPT Search is now available to everyone, no account needed. All users have to do is visit the ChatGPT standalone site and ChatGPT will automatically search the web when relevant. You can also manually call on its web search capability by clicking on the small globe icon underneath the search bar. ChatGPT Search, originally launched in October, lets users search the web directly within the ChatGPT interface for timely, up-to-date information, complete with citations linked to sources. There are two big advantages that differentiate it from a traditional search engine: using conversational search queries, and getting a more personalized results page. With ChatGPT Search, you can enter a fragmented or unorganized sentence that follows your train of thought, and the AI can still understand the meaning of your query by leveraging its natural language processing capabilities. The result is a simplified search experience in which you can spend less time crafting a tailored search query or thinking of specific keywords. ChatGPT's conversational text responses answer your questions directly which can also help you save time over traditional search engine results pages which generally require that you click on multiple links and skim sites to find the answer to what you were looking for. Also: The best AI for coding in 2025 (and what not to use) For example, if you wanted to know what the technical name for a bee humming is, instead of generally searching "bee hums" on Google, you could say something like, "What is the scientific term for the sound a bee makes when it flies around you? It kinda sounds like a hum." Of course, those text responses have footnotes which you can click on to visit the original source. If you like the look and experience of a traditional SERP, you can also click on "Sources" underneath your response to see a list of websites. Sites that block OpenAI's web crawler will not appear in the search results, so you may be missing content from some of your favorite sites. You can try ChatGPT Search for yourself for free now. You can also compare it to the many AI search engines available on the market for free, which we rounded up for you here.

ChatGPT's search engine just opened up for anyone to use

If Google wants to fill our phones with AI, it needs to give Pixels more storage Summary ChatGPT search is now available for anyone to use without an account. ChatGPT search functions as a full-fledged search engine, offering maps, images, summaries, and cites its sources. While Google still dominates, analysts predict ChatGPT may capture 1% of the search market by the end of 2025. Google might be a little worried. The AI-powered search market just became a lot more heated as OpenAI takes off the gloves and removes the login requirement for ChatGPT search (via The Verge). ChatGPT's AI-powered search is now available for anyone to use, no account required. Related 5 reasons why I prefer Gemini Advanced over ChatGPT Plus Gemini Advanced hits all the sweet spots for my use cases Posts 13 The change was announced Wednesday. It allows users to access AI-generated search results, with source citations, directly from the web. The feature first launched back in October for paid subscribers. Then, in December, it expanded search to all users who had an account. But now anyone can use it without needing to log in, putting it in direct competition with Google Search and Bing. ChatGPT vs traditional search engines This latest update from OpenAI turns ChatGPT into a full-fledged search engine. It can display maps, images and summaries, guide users to local attractions, pull up recipes, and provide sources for its results. All of this challenges what we've come to know as a search engine. It does it in a friendly conversational style free from ads and clickbait headlines. But OpenAI is not the first AI search engine on the scene. Perplexity, another search engine driven entirely by AI, allows users to search the web without an account. Perplexity has gained traction recently after integrating hotel listings and ratings from TripAdvisor. Google Search has Gemini built in , which produces a conversational summary to a search in addition to surfacing the traditional page of results. It's a more hybrid way of handling the changing field of search as AI finds its way into everything. Google continues to dominate search...for now ChatGPT has six times more market share than Perplexity, according to data from BrightEdge. Search traffic from both platforms have grown tremendously, and analysts predict ChatGPT search will own 1% of the search market by the end of 2025. But Google is still king in this department, with 92% of the search market, followed by Bing with just over 4%. ChatGPT has a long way to go yet. It is unknown if ChatGPT can ultimately disrupt Google's vice grip on search. OpenAI is moving fast and aggressively, and every week it seems Google has to play catch up in the field of artificial intelligence . One thing is for certain. OpenAI has Google in its sights, and is gunning for top stop.

It's Now Even Easier to Use ChatGPT Search as a Google Replacement

ChatGPT Search provides a unique alternative to Google thanks to its AI prowess. But now it's even more like Google with a recent change. You Don't Need an Account to Use ChatGPT Search You can now use ChatGPT Search on the ChatGPT site without needing an account or to log in. Start by entering what you want to search for in the box below the What can I help with? message. Then select the Search button. Hit Enter for the search to begin. You'll then see the search results. Unlike the typical Google search, you won't see pages and pages of links. ChatGPT Search first provides a summary to the search query. Below are links where the information was taken from. Clicking one of these links will take you to that site. Using ChatGPT Search is significantly different from a classic web search. But I've been using it for the last few months, and it's been refreshing to see a quick summary of the results without needing to jump off to other sites. Just to note, you can only use ChatGPT Search without logging in on the desktop site. In any smartphone app, you will still need an account. Without logging in to ChatGPT, you won't be able to use other advanced features of ChatGPT like the ability to upload images and files and more. A Quick Evolution for ChatGPT Search It's been a whirlwind couple of months for the ChatGPT Search. The feature was originally unveiled in October 2024 just for subscribers. In December 2024, OpenAI opened the feature to anyone with a ChatGPT account. Being able to use ChatGPT Search without an account should make the search process even easier and seamless -- just like when using Google or any of the other major competitors like Bing. Making it more accessible should also help introduce more users, and possibly subscribers, to the AI tools.

There are now 3 great reasons to switch from Google Search to ChatGPT Search

Google Search has become so synonymous with finding information online that to Google something has become a widely recognized verb. Pre-2002, there were several popular search engines to choose from, including Yahoo, AOL, and Ask Jeeves. However, not long after, Google emerged as a clear and dominant winner of "The Search Engine Wars," and to this day is seen as the gold standard for internet searches (sorry Bing). Or is it? AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Perplexity are changing the way many search online and make for a compelling change of scenery following twenty-some years of Google Search dominance. Asking LLMs like these what the best Sci-Fi movie of 2024 is replaces Google's wall of blue links and blurbs with something more akin to asking somebody who collects Star Wars figurines what's on their Netflix watchlist. While completely impersonal, this way of searching the net at least feels impressively so, with answers tailored to whatever additional context you present. Is this the future of online searches? Maybe. Admittedly, Google has entered the realm of AI searches itself with the new AI overview feature. However, its appearance is currently limited to more simple queries, effectively replacing the "top box" of results with something not always that much more helpful. So, if you're yet to give these AI-powered alternatives a try, here are a few compelling reasons to give ChatGPT Search a spin, starting off with something timely and topical: One of the luxuries of Google Search is that you can simply load up the Google homepage and get straight to work, if not by launching straight into a search query directly from the address bar. Well, here's some good news: from today, you can access ChatGPT Search with a similar level of ease by heading to ChatGPT.com, through desktop or mobile apps, for log-in-free access to OpenAI's new way of surfing the information superhighway without cost or subscription. You can even adopt ChatGPT Search as your go-to search engine from the address bar using this handy Chrome extension. Certain Google Search results are often little more than SEO (search engine optimization) leaderboards that websites will perpetually refine and tweak to appease the Google bots that crawl them for keywords more than the people that read them for information. AI search options like ChatGPT Search cut the fat, and the click-bait, returning with an actual answer to whatever it is you find yourself in need of -- or quickly highlighting the absence of one, saving you time spent scouring article after article for information that may not yet be available. "Googling" something paints the image of simply rapping your fingers along the right keyboard inputs and hitting enter, only to be immediately presented with the exact information you need and being on your way. However, in the real world, we're all well aware that Googling something is actually a process of refinement and elimination as you juggle between comparing product A to product B, or following a slow daisy chain of information down an endless rabbit hole in search of a specific query. Don't get me wrong, it does the job (eventually). However, AI options like ChatGPT Search just get you there faster. Thanks to the natural language interface of LLMs like ChatGPT and Perplexity, searching is like having a conversation with the internet at large. Comparing two things is as easy as simply asking the question, and more complex queries are often solved on the first prompt, leading to fewer hours spent digging through the comments of long-dead Reddit threads in an attempt to diagnose that weird computer hitch. While AI search options clearly have their benefits, Google still reigns supreme when it comes to things like image searches or Google Maps navigation. And if you're on the hunt for your next purchase, then AI searches will often be better suited to supplemental information rather than direct recommendations. While AI hallucinations are still haunting the wider stretches of LLMs like ChatGPT, newer and more powerful models reduce these risks, and it's not like Google hasn't had hallucinatory issues of its own, with the Search Overview feature originally launching under some controversy after offering (since fixed) recommendations that its users eat glue or turn their washing machines into chlorine gas chambers. Still, this new frontier of Search is an impressive one, and it's well worth checking out if you haven't already. While we've highlighted ChatGPT Search in particular, Perplexity stands as another fantastic all-around option. For those who want to take things a step further, Arc Search offers AI search built directly into their mobile web browser for a simpler and more natural way to search with AI while browsing the internet.