• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, July 25, 2024

New OpenAI search features that reply to queries with timely information and source links are being tested by a limited number of users.The company calls the tool a "temporary prototype."

SearchGPT, the official name for the prototype, will initially become available on a web browser as a stand-alone search experience, but later could be added to ChatGPT. 

Users can ask follow-up questions similar to the way someone might do in a conversation with a person. The conversation will build on each query and response. The company announced the tool today.

Datos, a Semrush company, released a report Thursday analyzing clickstream data to determine how generative AI (GAI) has influenced consumer search behavior during the past year. 

While the adoption continues to grow, 99% of AI platform users also continue to use traditional search engines -- at least for now.

The study also found Google remains the most dominant search engine in the U.S., maintaining stable metrics in search frequency and user engagement despite the rise of AI-driven search tools. 

YouTube is the most-searched social platform, with an average of 19.9 searches per search user per month during the course of the study. It’s based on mobile and desktop usage, excluding in-app behavior. LinkedIn had the second-highest average, at 13.3. 

Web search trends have remained stable during the past year with only slight, inconsistent declines for some platforms like Amazon -- most likely the result of seasonal sales events. This suggests consumer search behavior has not undergone drastic changes.

Searches per user have either remained consistent or increased, indicating a healthy level of user engagement. While AI shopping assistants may impact retail search behaviors, precise data will take another year or more.

OpenAI is building its search tool with publishers. “For decades, search has been a foundational way for publishers and creators to reach users,” OpenAI wrote in a post. “Now, we’re using AI to enhance this experience by highlighting high-quality content in a conversational interface with multiple opportunities for users to engage.”

Earlier this month, The Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson publicly said the search engine was on its way, likely because the publisher had been working with OpenAI to develop the features based on a recent content deal to train models.

SearchGPT is separate from training OpenAI’s generative AI foundation models. Sites can be surfaced in search results even if they opt out of generative AI training, OpenAI said.

On Wednesday, Microsoft announced important changes as it transitions to AI-supported search by combining the power of large language models (LLM) and small language models (SLM) with Bing’s search results. 

The company explained in a post how the combined technology understands the search query, reviews millions of sources of information, dynamically matches content, and generates search results in a new AI-generated layout.