Contents
- What is ChatGPT
- What is SearchGPT?
- GPT vs. Google – what’s the difference?
- When can I use SearchGPT?
- Why are we moving to AI-powered search models?
- How can SearchGPT help me?
- What about search engine optimisation (SEO) for SearchGPT?
- How should I adjust my SEO strategy for SearchGPT and AI-powered search models?
AI has literally taken over everything. You can’t do a single thing on the internet without seeing those two letters next to each other these days. The world is AI obsessed. And now it’s coming to take over search engines.
Developed by the minds behind ChatGPT, real-time browsing was initially launched as a prototype called SearchGPT, combining chatbot-style responses with live info-gathering capabilities. Now, browsing is part of ChatGPT itself, allowing users to get real-time, conversational answers directly in the ChatGPT interface… well, at least for paid users. Free users are still kicking around the old version for now.
Read on to find out what this means for your small business website.
Firstly, what is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT. You’re either addicted to it, actively trying to avoid it, or you’re living under a rock. Just in case you’re the latter, I asked ChatGPT “What is ChatGPT?” and here’s what it said:
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) model developed by OpenAI. It is based on a type of AI called a “language model,” specifically a variant of the GPT (Generative Pretrained Transformer) architecture. GPT models are trained on large amounts of text data to understand and generate human-like language.
Key Features of ChatGPT:
- Conversational AI: ChatGPT is designed to engage in human-like conversations. It can answer questions, provide explanations, assist with tasks, and engage in a wide range of topics.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): It understands and processes text input in a way that allows it to generate coherent and contextually relevant responses.
- Real-time Information Access: With the integration of browsing features, ChatGPT can now provide current information from the web, making it more accurate and up-to-date.
- Citations for Sources: Since the integration of SearchGPT, ChatGPT now offers clear citations to its sources when browsing, allowing users to verify the information directly.
- Multitasking: It can answer questions, generate text, provide explanations, assist with creative writing, offer tutoring, help with code, and engage in casual conversation.
- Pre-SearchGPT limitations: Despite being highly advanced, the free version of ChatGPT has some limitations (with browsing features turned off):
- Knowledge Cutoff: It only has information up to a certain date (usually 3 years in the past), and it doesn’t access real-time information unless integrated with external tools.
- Context Length: It can only remember a certain amount of context from the conversation, so if the discussion is long, older parts of the conversation might have been forgotten.
- Generative Errors: It may sometimes generate incorrect, nonsensical, or biased responses, so fact-checking is important.
- Post-SearchGPT limitations: Since the update for paid users, the knowledge cutoff no longer applies, but there are still some limitations:
- Browsing Mode: When browsing is enabled, ChatGPT provides real-time information but may still rely on its training data for general knowledge.
- Generative Errors: ChatGPT may still generate incorrect or nonsensical responses occasionally, so fact-checking remains important.
In short, ChatGPT is a powerful AI designed to assist people with various tasks using natural language, and it operates by generating human-like responses based on its training data.
Very meta.
In short, ChatGPT is a chatbot that can answer questions or write some stuff for you. But sometimes it’s inaccurate. And only recently has it begun providing sources and links for further browsing – since the integration of its browsing features a.k.a. SearchGPT.
It’s mega handy in lots of ways. Potentially problematic in lots of other ways. We’re talking misinformation, bias and discrimination, privacy issues, malicious use, intellectual property issues, being bad for the environment, and the list goes on and on…
Anyway, we’re here to talk about SearchGPT and not the ethics of my chatbot sous chef. Something we will definitely talk about another time.
So, what is SearchGPT and how is it related to ChatGPT?
What is SearchGPT?
SearchGPT was created by OpenAI. The ChatGPT people. Or robots. I’m not sure who actually works there.
It was initially launched as a prototype search tool to combine ChatGPT’s conversational format with real-time information gathering. Now, these capabilities are part of ChatGPT’s “browsing” feature, meaning you can use ChatGPT for live searches, making it easier to get updated answers without leaving the chat interface.
It’s a combination of a conventional search engine – like Google – and ChatGPT.
Meaning that real-time information from multiple sources is organised into an easy-to-digest and conversational format. Essentially, Google results, from a chatbot.
In July 2024, SearchGPT opened its doors to around 10,000 test users. Using the feedback from those test users, OpenAI have taken the best features and implemented them into their most recent ChatGPT model. Here’s what browsing features look like…
See the photos and the links out to the search results? In theory, that should mean less time spent searching around for the particular answers or pages that you are looking for.
Oh yeah and of course I asked ChatGPT what SearchGPT is, here’s what it said:
SearchGPT, now integrated into ChatGPT as a browsing feature, blends the capabilities of a traditional search engine with AI-driven conversational responses. By drawing real-time information from the web, it provides current answers in a format that mimics human conversation, complete with citations to relevant sources. This approach allows you to ask follow-up questions, refining your search interactively.
GPT vs. Google – what’s the difference?
You might be wondering what the difference is between ChatGPT’s browsing features and Google?
Google has integrated AI into its search engine already. You’ve probably seen it giving you a summary of answers at the top of search results (and possibly even felt frustrated by it getting in the way 👀).
Google’s approach to AI-powered search is designed to deliver answers instead of just links… and sneakily aiming to keep you on Google for longer. If they serve the answer right to you, why would you need to click off to visit some small biz shmucks website, eh?
Oh, and yes, they are also an ethically questionable bunch, just in case you’re wondering.
The recently updated ChatGPT, aims to take this concept further by providing conversational responses – essentially making the whole thing more interactive and personalised. Like if your imaginary robot friend from childhood came to life to help you do things but all of a sudden you care way more about “How to do a tax return”…
When can I use SearchGPT?
The browsing feature is now available in ChatGPT for paid subscribers (ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise) with plans for future expansion. The free ChatGPT model, without browsing, is still an option but relies on pre-existing training data without real-time updates. So, currently, unless you cough up on a monthly basis, you can’t currently access the features.
You can read more about SearchGPT here and stay tuned on our blog and via SEOyourself to find out more about what happens next with SearchGPT.
Why are we moving to AI-powered search models?
People use the internet daily. A lot of us rely on it and our entire businesses are built around the internet (ahem 👀). It only makes sense that we’re looking for ways to make it quicker to navigate the World Wide Web.
ChatGPT made it easier. SearchGPT and other AI-powered search models will make it easier again, and hopefully, more accurate. And yes, the ethics of the whole thing are still very complex.
Here are some of the specific ways SearchGPT will be an improvement on ChatGPT and traditional search engines:
Knowledge cutoff
One of the main issues the free ChatGPT model has is known as ‘knowledge cutoff’. It can only draw its knowledge from a particular snapshot of data, this means that any new data that comes through after this snapshot isn’t used… so you miss out on any new, and potentially more relevant or accurate information.
One of the main advantages of using a traditional search engine is that it has the most up-to-date pages and info, all the time. SearchGPT, or ChatGPT’s browsing features, have the most up-to-date information but with the conversational ability of ChatGPT.
ChatGPT 2.0
On the surface, the browsing features don’t look/feel that much different to the ChatGPT we’re used to. But they provide concise, helpful answers to questions, while still providing relevant links, products, videos and images. Just like a regular search engine.
Having constant access to a new stream of information will (hopefully) help the chatbot-turned-search-engine become more accurate. Combine this with the conversational style of a chatbot so it will be easy to refine your search or ask follow-up questions, something not currently possible with a traditional search engine.
How can SearchGPT help me?
SearchGPT could completely change the way that you interact with the internet which kinda feels a bit like living life in a movie. And I don’t know about you but I’m pretty intrigued to see what Google do with this, given they’ve been the big dogs in the industry since pretty much forever at this point. Well forever in the internet’s lifespan anyway.
And it’s not just gonna be checking the weather or looking up huge houses you can’t afford and critiquing their choice of aesthetic, oh nooooo. AI-powered search models could be super useful to businesses on every level.
In theory, you’ll be able to do your job more easily and quickly. Any form of research or idea generation should be a lot easier. The possibilities are pretty endless and if we’re getting more accurate information? Well, yes, that’s obviously quite a big plus.
What about search engine optimisation (SEO) for SearchGPT?
There is no doubt that the introduction of AI into Google search and new options like SearchGPT, mean that SEO is more important now than ever, and it’s only going to continue to get more and more relevant.
SEO strategies will change and adapt over time to suit these new search options. For now, our best advice is to continue with regular, fresh and useful content that is well-optimised and valuable to your readers. At the end of the day, the most important thing that any search engine is looking for on your website and your content is a good user experience. As long as you are providing that, the rest should follow.
How should I adjust my SEO strategy for SearchGPT and AI-powered search models?
AI-powered search models might still be in their early stages, but here are a few tips to help you be ahead of the game when it comes to your SEO:
1. Keep focusing on high-quality content
High-quality content will continue to be crucial for your SEO. Make sure you are producing easy-to-read, user-friendly content that is well-researched and has good-quality external links to referenced pages.
2. Keep it conversational
Responses that you get from an AI search engine are much more chatty than what we are used to from Google. Think about this when you are writing your content, focus on writing in a way that feels human, rather than overly technical or jargon-heavy. Would you say what you’ve written out loud?
3. Consider user intent
Think about how and why people interact with AI search… What are they hoping to find? Always consider the intent behind a search term that you’re optimising content for and make sure you’re delivering what they’re actually looking for. People are more likely to ask e.g “How do I…?” or “What is the best…?”
4. No bullshit
One of the big problems with AI-powered search so far has been misinformation. As a result, there is going to be a huge focus on credibility in the future. You can help make yourself more credible by linking to high-quality sources. External links have always been an important part of SEO but with AI-powered search, they are going to become a whole lot more important.
5. Optimising for voice search with long-tail keywords
Just like what we expect from an AI search engine, voice search queries tend to be longer and more conversational. A good place to get started is by finding some high-quality long-tail keywords. Learn about getting your website voice search ready.
6. Analytics
I know, yawn. But it’s going to be important as we move into the age of AI-powered search. The best thing that you can do is keep an eye on your analytics and look at what is working and what’s not. The way people interact with these new search engines is going to change over time, but knowing how it’s affecting you will help you adapt your strategy and thrive.
With the arrival of ChatGPTs browsing features, we’re looking at a future where search engines feel more like our pocket pals, giving us precise real-time answers instead of a list of links. And as AI-powered search models develop, we can stay adaptable by focusing on high-quality content that builds credibility. In short, do your research, quote your sources and stay conversational, and then check and adjust.
If you’re looking for easy-to-digest updates on what the boffs in charge of the search engines are up to, sign up for SEOyourself today.
