OpenAI Search Is Coming, 'The Atlantic' CEO Says 07/15/2024

The timing could not be better for OpenAI to launch a search engine based on artificial intelligence (AI), and it could explain why BrightEdge's Generative Parser (BGP) observed ChatGPT masking search referral traffic to all types of sites -- especially publishers.

The ad-tech industry has been expecting the launch of an OpenAI-based search engine since early this year.

Although it did not launch as suspected, The Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson said this is coming -- which appears to be one reason the publisher agreed to sign a deal with OpenAI that allows it to use content from one of the oldest magazines in the United States. The content dates back to 1857.

At the time, The Atlantic announced an experimental microsite called Atlantic Labs it will use to determine how AI can aid in the development of new products and features to better serve journalism and readers.

Thompson told The Verge during the interview that "we believe it provides revenue, but more importantly provides a potential traffic source. Provides an avenue for a product partnership that could be very beneficial, and that provides a way for us to help shape the future of AI."

“They have said they’re going to build a search product," Thompson said. "They have not launched the search product, but they have said they would build it. We have allowed them to include The Atlantic in their search product.”

ChatGPT set a new traffic record in June, attracting 2.9 billion visits -- up about 96% from the previous year, according to Similarweb.

Thompson said The Atlantic began speaking with all AI companies about their large language models (LLMs). There were parameters the publisher followed and only accept. That deal was reached with OpenAI.

The deal had several parts, with three that were clearly outlined. The first part states that for two years, OpenAI will be allowed to train on The Atlantic's data. The technology can read the Atlantic's articles and incorporate the information into the LLM models. The Atlantic has some control of the type of outputs it can give people.

The second part of the deal is the product partnership. OpenAI will give The Atlantic credit. Tools are being built by the engineering team for business using OpenAI. The Atlantic no longer needs to rely on Meta's Llama.

The third part of the deal revolves around search, Thompson said. OpenAI has a "browse mode" that can link to Atlantic stories, which Thompson believes will become search when complete.