ChatGPT developer OpenAI may be one step closer to developing a third-party search tool with the chatbot as the major feature. If the initiative is successful, OpenAI might challenge Google as both a search engine and a web browser.
According to The Information, the project is a search tool dubbed NLWeb (Natural Language Web), which is now in the prototype phase. OpenAI has shown the prototype to possible partners in the travel, retail, real estate, and food industries, including Conde Nast, Redfin, Eventbrite, and Priceline, according to the company. The application would add ChatGPT search tools to the websites for these firms’ products and services.
NLWeb has the potential to compete with many of the rapidly evolving applications for Google’s Gemini AI technologies. As OpenAI launched the AI wars in November 2022, Google was one of many corporations to respond with its chatbots. Gemini has evolved into more than just a competent AI assistant and writing coach; it has also been embedded into Google’s search engine to help customers with shopping and travel, among other things.
This appears to be where OpenAI perceives an opportunity to challenge Google’s dominance. According to statistics, Google’s Chrome browser has a 66.68% global market share compared to other browsers. Meanwhile, analysts observe that ChatGPT had 3.7 billion global visitors in October 2024, which was comparable to Chrome’s 3.45 billion. Additionally, ChatGPT’s traffic has been constantly increasing since May 2024.
OpenAI recently unveiled ChatGPT Search, a search engine tool built within its chatbot that provides customers with real-time responses to inquiries such as sports scores, breaking news, and financial prices. This service has altered ChatGPT to resemble Google search, and hence Google’s AI tools.
Meanwhile, other reports indicate that Google has recently been under fire from the Department of Justice (DOJ), which is pressing the business to split up its brands by selling the Chrome browser sector of its organization. If the verdict is upheld, Google would be barred from the browser market for five years, giving a competitor plenty of opportunity to establish itself in the business.
According to The Information, OpenAI has “recently considered” constructing a proprietary web browser, but is “not remotely close” to moving forward with the project.
