According to Bloomberg, OpenAI is very close to launching a new search tool that might compete with Google search and the AI-driven startup Perplexity.
This new product from the creators of ChatGPT is expected to debut as early as next Monday, May 13, just one day before Google’s I/O conference begins. At this event, Google is anticipated to unveil several AI-related products and talk about Android 15, its next big OS update for smartphones.
OpenAI is set to enhance ChatGPT by integrating a search engine that can fetch real-time information from the internet and provide citations. This upgrade aims to tackle one of the main criticisms of ChatGPT—its reliance on outdated data.
The design of OpenAI’s new search tool appears to closely mirror Perplexity’s offering. Perplexity, valued at approximately $1 billion, provides an AI-native search interface that includes citations along with images and text. The company was established by three engineers: Aravind Srinivas, formerly of OpenAI; Denis Yarats, who previously worked at Meta; and Johnny Ho, who was with Quora.
ChatGPT may also lift its NSFW filter soon, according to a new OpenAI Model Spec document. This document, cited by WIRED, shows that the company is exploring ways to allow sexually explicit and other adult-rated content on the AI chatbot “responsibly.”
Unlike some other large language models (LLM), ChatGPT currently bars users from generating NSFW material on its platform, a limitation that may be removed soon. According to the document, this would enable “erotica, extreme gore, slurs, and unsolicited profanity.”