On October 31 2024, OpenAI officially released ChatGPT Search to help you find information instantly — no need to leave ChatGPT.

Imagine Google search, but directly within ChatGPT!

In this post, I’ll walk through how it works and how to use it effectively.

Here’s the Youtube version of this post:

• How does ChatGPT Search work?

• How do I manually enable ChatGPT Search?

• Weather

• Location

• Sports

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How does ChatGPT Search work?

Just like before — when you ask a question, ChatGPT decides whether it should search the web or respond with existing knowledge.

If it needs fresh information — like the latest sports scores or news updates — it will trigger a web search automatically. It uses Browse with Bing.

But now, you can also manually activate Search by clicking the search icon.

It uses OpenAI’s GPT-4o model to supply information on topics like sports, news, and stock updates, complete with source links so you can dive in, learn more, and confirm factual information.

ChatGPT Search shows you where information came from, with sources like AP and Reuters for accurate reliable updates.

You’re chatting with the internet!

In terms of availability, this is the latest update from OpenAI (Nov 2 2024):

How do I manually enable ChatGPT Search?

To manually enable ChatGPT search, click the “Search the web” as shown below:

This instructs ChatGPT to search the web when formulating its answer.

You’ll be able to see all cited sources as well as additional search results.

Weather

Let’s start with a basic example.

I ask ChatGPT, “What’s the weather in Salt Lake City, Utah?”

…and instantly receive an answer, neatly formatted and sourced from the National Weather Service.

ChatGPT displays warnings, like a severe weather advisory (snow ⛷️ ), and links to sources so that you can confirm all details and learn more.

News

And it doesn’t stop with weather…

If you’re curious about breaking news, ChatGPT pulls real-time information from multiple news outlets.

Below, I ask about the fake Halloween parade in Dublin generated by AI.

“Thousands pack Dublin streets for fake halloween parade listed on AI website”

It sounds crazy, I don’t know the full details, but I saw someone mention it and must know more! 😅 

Location

Although I’m an enthusiastic ChatGPT user, I’d still often go back to Google or Yelp to search for local information.

For example: find a great pizza place in Salt Lake City.

But now, ChatGPT Search lists local restaurants, analyzes ratings and food options, and shows you their website, phone number, and a 1-click Google Maps link.

The most compelling thing?

Chat back-and-forth with ChatGPT Search!

Below, I refine my search, telling ChatGPT to “narrow the list to neapolitan pizza”.

Sports

Try asking about sports updates, and ChatGPT will pull the most recent news from trusted outlets like ESPN or Yahoo Sports.

You get the latest updates in a format that's easy to digest and sourced appropriately.

Note: I don’t know anything about sports, but I asked ChatGPT to give me the scores for the “big game last night” and it worked!

Comparing With vs. Without ChatGPT Search

To illustrate the difference between using ChatGPT with and without internet access, let’s walk through 2 experiments.

First, I ask ChatGPT to define the term “serendipity”.

In the top example, I enable ChatGPT Search manually, so it utilizes Merriam-Webster.

In the bottom example, I did not enable ChatGPT Search manually. It decided to use its internal knowledge without searching the web.

Here’s how to tell the difference:

When ChatGPT searches the internet, you’ll see the button “Sources” at the bottom of its answer.

Next, a more realistic and useful example.

Let’s ask ChatGPT:

Without web access, ChatGPT only uses prior knowledge and recommends Instagram.

But when ChatGPT Search is enabled, it recommends Facebook!

Considering the constantly shifting landscape of social media, staying current is vital and this illustrates a realistic scenario where ChatGPT Search is invaluable.

Chrome Extension

OpenAI also released a companion Chrome extension, called ChatGPT Search.

Please use this correct link to avoid all the confusing clones!

This Chrome extension makes ChatGPT your DEFAULT search engine instead of Google.

Yes, you read that right:

Replace Google altogether!

Even if you’re using Google Chrome browser, this extension will redirect all your search requests to ChatGPT!

However, if you want to use Google search for a particular query, type this directly in your browser URL bar:

!g your_search_query 

(replace your_search_query with what you want to search)

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2. Free introductory course to learn the fundamentals of ChatGPT.

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