For some time now, we have heard rumors that OpenAI is preparing a competitor to Google Search. The company has finally released a prototype version of its search tool called SearchGPT, and everyone is excited about the future of search on the Internet.

Google has long held the reigns of search, but some industry analysts believe that OpenAI may be in a prime position to challenge Mountain View, Inc. After 25 years on the search engine throne, is it finally time for Google to give up its position to another company? Is it time for Google, after 25 years on the search engine throne, to finally hand it over to another company?

Danny Goodwin, editorial director of Search Engine Land, said in a statement to Tom's Guide: “Google has been the dominant search engine for 25 years. But I believe that OpenAI's ChatGPT has the most potential to change the paradigm of search as we have known it for 25 years and truly challenge Google search."

Goodwin also noted that ”I am not a big fan of the OpenAI ChatGPT, but I do believe that it has the potential to change the paradigm of search as we have known it for 25 years.

I too am wary of such a declaration. There is a reason people call searching for things online “Googling.” Google is synonymous with search, and OpenAI is known for its chatbots. Not only that, as Goodwin points out, “SearchGPT is only a temporary prototype, available to only 10,000 users.”

What will it take for SearchGPT, or whatever it eventually becomes when it is implemented in ChatGPT, to dethrone Google?IDC's Conversational AI & Intelligent Knowledge Discovery Hayley Sutherland, Research Manager at IDC's Conversational AI & Intelligent Knowledge Discovery, says: “The extent to which SearchGPT will be able to compete with today's leading consumer search engines will depend in part on the actual speed and accuracy with which SearchGPT is used, and these parameters will also help determine the use cases (types of search/question answering) for which SearchGPT is best suited.”

I have addressed the differences between SearchGPT and Google Search, but while they are fighting in a similar space, they are not the same. What is undeniable is that there is a stark difference in the search experience between SearchGPT and Google Search.” I think the lack of ads appeals to a lot of people, and the prominent citations (links to websites) appeal to brands and companies,” Goodwin explained.

Currently, the most important elements missing from SearchGPT are local and commerce content. The tool can find all kinds of source information, but it lags behind traditional search engines in these critical areas. Goodwin explains, “OpenAI still has significant work to do to upgrade the quality of search results, especially in local and commerce search.” If OpenAI can push this area, Google may have to worry a bit.

After all, this is only step one in a long process for OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. Goodwin called it a “transitory step.” I have to agree, but I would also say that it is more of a transitory leap, as there has not been this much publicity about a new search method in a long, long time.

You can sign up for SearchGPT now and get on the waiting list.