SearchGPT vs Google: Which Is The Better Search Engine?

There is a new search engine in town and it could mean trouble for the beloved – and mostly unchallenged – Google Search. Meet SearchGPT, from the house of OpenAI and the newest search engine on the World Wide Web that is designed to take on Google’s dominance in the industry.

Like its chatbot sibling, SearchGPT has AI at its heart and promises to revolutionise your web experience.

Although it hasn’t been released as a stable search engine for the masses yet, SearchGPT’s unique approach to a web search is generating buzz.

Unlike OpenAI’s product, Google Search has relied on the tried-and-tested database formula and so far, it has done a great job. Whether someone is looking for a local plumber, the details of their vacation destination or even our helpful guides, Google Search has been a reliable medium to access almost anything on the web. It’s a formula Google has stuck to for a while now – after all, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

With the advent of generative AI though, Google recently gave Search a shot of Gemini AI to make it, well, cooler.

The AI Overview feature made a big deal about suMMArising the search results with an AI-curated answer. However, its arrival was marked by controversy, with AI Overview being accused of coming up with dangerous responses. Google, to its credit, acknowledged and rectified the issue and since then, AI Overview has been a useful tool for search maestros.

Unlike OpenAI, Google also has unprecedented access to the Android ecosystem, enabling it to reach more people. But will that be enough to keep it on its throne? Especially at a time when SearchGPT is making big promises for a smarter future on the internet.

So, between Google and OpenAI’s SearchGPT, which search engine should you rely on? Well, our SearchGPT vs Google comparison should be able to solve your dileMMA.

Before we begin, keep in mind that the current version of SearchGPT is in the prototype stage and is available only to select OpenAI subscribers. OpenAI could add more features and experiences in future releases.

SearchGPT vs Google: Has OpenAI cracked the code?

Let’s start with the basics.

In essence, both SearchGPT and Google are search engines. The job of a search engine is to look through vast databases of webpages indexed from the World Wide Web and return results that are most relevant to the search keywords.

Google has proven itself to be a shining example of this, beating the likes of Bing, Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo and other search engines on parameters like accessibility, relevancy and speed.

Google’s expertise in software has also allowed it to tailor the search experiences for every individual, acing the Game with search-relevant results. Since it’s also developed Android, Google automatically gets wider access to the public and by extension, most (if not all) digital media prioritises ranking their webpages on the first search page of Google’s results.

Basically, Google provides you with a list of third-party websites that its algorithms consider to be the best responses for your query.

Enter SearchGPT: A tool that ‘answers’ your queries

With the arrival of Generative AI on the scene, OpenAI is taking a different approach to the concept of search engines.

Instead of throwing the most relevant website links, OpenAI’s SearchGPT attempts to solve the query first-hand, curating an answer using third-party website links as the source or reference. The search results will be provided in the form of a conversation and the search engine will remember the context for any further related queries.

In essence, SearchGPT is a version of ChatGPT that responds to your general web search queries in a conversational style. OpenAI also assures that every response will have the attribution links attached at the end.

SearchGPT will also come up with visual responses to certain queries. Although we are yet to get any clarity on this, the Gen-AI search engine suggests that it will come up with photos, videos, graphs and widgets to provide information concisely.

“For decades, search has been a foundational way for publishers and creators to reach users. 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,” says OpenAI in its blog.

Note: Based on the demo video shared by OpenAI, SearchGPT uses the latest GPT model to read your search query keywords.

SearchGPT vs Google: Which is better?

Although we are yet to get our hands on the prototype version of SearchGPT, we want you to look at the key differences based on the information that has been made public.

Smart answers

Google and SearchGPT feature Gen-AI-based responses to common queries. We have experienced Google’s AI Overview for the last few months and so far, we find it useful for getting quick answers without opening a publisher’s webpage or social media feed.

However, OpenAI’s SearchGPT seems to be more fluent with its responses and presentation, making it the winner for this round.

Winner: SearchGPT

Accuracy

SearchGPT is currently in an experimental stage and we don’t have enough data to gauge its accuracy regarding web searches. Hence, in this round, our trusty old Google Search takes the lead due to its decades-old record of returning reliable search results.

Winner: Google

Accessibility

In its beta stage, SearchGPT is presently available to 10,000 beta testers and it will be a while before OpenAI is able to roll it out for everyone. It is said that SearchGPT will eventually be integrated into ChatGPT, thereby making it more accessible to the millions of users who already use the AI chatbot.

For now, though, it can’t beat Google’s omnipresence. After all, Google Search is available on smartphones, PCs, smart TVs, the Google Assistant app and the new Gemini chatbot.

Winner: Google

Our verdict

Winner: Google (until SearchGPT is released to the public)

Google Search remains unbeatable for the time being and is the preferred method of searching the World Wide Web for most people. However, OpenAI’s SearchGPT presents a smart alternative to Google’s product and in a world that is increasingly getting engulfed by AI, it could end up dismantling Google’s supremacy.

(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Solen Feyissa via Unsplash)

This story first appeared on Augustman Singapore