ChatGPT search is now open to everyone. OpenAI announced on Wednesday that users can access the web search feature without needing to sign up or log in to an account. This move significantly broadens the accessibility of ChatGPT's search capabilities, positioning it as a more direct rival to Google.

The search function, integrated directly into the ChatGPT AI chatbot, allows users to receive conversational answers with relevant information from the internet. This includes photos, links, and citations that reveal the sources used to create the answer. The links are presented in a format similar to traditional search engine results.

Initially, ChatGPT search was exclusive to paying subscribers when it launched in late October of last year. In December, OpenAI extended access to all logged-in users. The removal of the sign-in requirement marks the final step in making the feature available to the widest possible audience.

By eliminating the need for an account, OpenAI is removing a key point of friction for users who may have been hesitant to try the service. Users can now casually test the service without committing to creating an account.

The move could also impact how people conduct online searches. One analysis showed that while Google still dominates in search volume, ChatGPT is increasingly driving traffic to third-party websites. It remains to be seen whether the change will affect user engagement. Some features like personalized conversations and memory might remain exclusive to logged-in users, and OpenAI hasn't announced any limitations on the number of searches for guest users.

Other AI-powered "answer" engines like Perplexity also offer search capabilities without requiring an account. ChatGPT search now more closely resembles a traditional search engine, displaying maps and images of local attractions alongside brief descriptions of each result.

ChatGPT search leverages third-party search providers, as well as content provided directly by our partners, to provide the information users are looking for. It's built on a fine-tuned version of GPT-4o, post-trained using novel synthetic data generation techniques.