AI-powered search engine:The world of internet search is heating up. OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research company backed by Microsoft, is reportedly on the verge of launching a search product powered by AI, potentially disrupting Google’s long-held reign. This move comes as Google prepares for its annual I/O conference, where it’s expected to showcase its own AI advancements like the Gemini and Gemma models.
This potential new competitor follows earlier reports from Bloomberg and The Information suggesting OpenAI’s search offering would leverage AI to crawl and process web data. According to Bloomberg, the search function could be integrated within their popular ChatGPT chatbot, providing users with search results and citations. The Information adds that Bing might partially power OpenAI’s search service.
OpenAI previously attempted to grant ChatGPT access to live web data through plugins, but these were retired. While ChatGPT gained traction for information gathering tasks after its November 2022 launch, its accuracy and information freshness have been criticized, a common challenge for large language models (LLMs).
Regardless of whether these rumors materialize next week, Google recognizes the threat to its search dominance. Google’s search boss, Prabhakar Raghavan, reportedly acknowledged this in a recent employee meeting, urging the company to adapt faster to market realities. Raghavan emphasized the importance of trust, stating that users rely on Google for verified information and might explore new AI-powered search options for novelty but still return to Google for confirmation.
OpenAi decided to lounch AI-powered search engine
OpenAI seems to be aware of this trust factor. Sources informed The Verge that the company is actively recruiting Google employees to bolster their search project. Additionally, Perplexity, a billion-dollar startup founded by a former OpenAI researcher, has garnered over 10 million monthly active users for its own AI-based search product, further intensifying the competition.
This AI-powered search battleground emerges alongside the ongoing Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust case against Google’s dominance in search. If OpenAI’s launch coincides with Google’s I/O event, it’s likely a strategic move to send a strong message. Given ChatGPT’s explosive growth, Google would be wise to take this challenge seriously.