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Watch out, Google. OpenAI has beefed up its ChatGPT search tool to try to win over more people. And it may be working.
In a new support article published last Friday, OpenAI described a recent upgrade designed to improve the quality and performance of its search option. In general, ChatGPT search has been enhanced to provide more comprehensive and up-to-date responses. Based on its own testing, OpenAI said that users preferred the new search process over the previous experience.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET’s parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
Also: You can access ChatGPT Search without an account now – here’s how
And just what are all the new features that people seem to prefer?
ChatGPT search now offers more intelligent responses, is better able to grasp what you’re asking, and serves up more comprehensive answers. The AI’s search mode is better equipped to handle longer conversations, so you can explore your topic more deeply. Plus, it can more adeptly follow your instructions, especially in a longer conversation, which OpenAI said dramatically reduces repetitive responses.
There’s more. You can now kick off multiple searches at the same time and even search the web for information on an uploaded image.
Still, there are a few hiccups with the updated search. You may find that the AI delivers longer responses than it would previously. In some instances, ChatGPT might display a “chain of thought” reasoning, even for simple searches. This means the AI will break down a question or topic into individual chunks before it arrives at a final answer. That’s a helpful process for a complex problem, but not for a simple query.
As always, though, OpenAI warns that ChatGPT may make mistakes and cautions you to double-check its responses.
Nipping at Google’s heels, OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT search last October. The option not only provides timely and up-to-date information, but also displays links to all the online sources used. The search feature automatically kicks in based on your prompt, but you can also manually enable it by clicking the search button.
Also: Google’s AI Mode may be the upgrade Search desperately needs – how to try it for free
Is ChatGPT Search worth using over Google? If we’re comparing ChatGPT search with conventional Google Search, then the answer would be yes. But Google is no slouch in the AI department, having integrated Gemini into its regular search tool. At Google’s search engine, you can now choose an AI mode through which Google summarizes the results from different sources and can engage with you in a back-and-forth conversation.
I’ve investigated the same topics with both ChatGPT search and Google Search with AI Mode. Both delivered the goods. But in general, I preferred the way ChatGPT presented the results and fostered a conversation to explore the subject. As OpenAI continues to enhance ChatGPT search, you no longer need to rely just on Google. Instead, take both search tools for a spin to see which one you like better.
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