November 2024, Chat GPT officially becomes a kind of new generation search engine. I tested GPT Search, and here is what I think. The title doesn’t lie, in my opinion, it could be the end of Google and internet searches as we know them.
What is GPT Search Chat?
At Open AI, the company that makes Chat GPT, there are lots of things happening in this sweet fall of 2024. At the end of October, I told you about the release of the new advanced voice mode. Even if it’s quite impressive to talk to an AI like a human being, it must be said: this feature is more “wow” than really useful.
What about GPT Search then? Is this useful? We can answer this question in the affirmative without getting too wet. As I am a tech journalist and a big pigeon who pays a GPT Plus subscription of €23 per month, I already have access to this new feature. I played around for a few hours, ran some tests and… I didn’t reopen Google. Even for my personal research.
How does it work? Basically, there’s a new little “web” button right next to the button to send images in the Chat bar. By pressing on itthe AI will carry out searches in real time (on Bing, agreement with Microsoft requires) to provide up-to-date and specific answers. After generating its short paragraph, the AI gives you its sources. If I ask it the names of the video games to follow at the moment for example, the AI will tell me Le Monde and… us… JV.
Why I think GPT Search can really replace Google
Almost all modern sites are free. The economic model is therefore based on advertising. So, when you browse JV or almost anywhere else, your screen is bombarded with ads (especially on smartphones). And then, to please Google and optimize retention, sites must provide long news while drowning out the information a little. With GPT Search, it’s over. You make your query in three key words as usual, and poof you have your clear, clear, concise answer.
I very quickly got used to the comfort of GPT Search. In addition to removing advertising, this tool saves us one click and the entire scrolling step in Google search results. No time wasted, no hassle, we have an instant and sourced response. For a news summary, a restaurant search, a tutorial, a specific request… in short, just about everything, GPT Search is already much more pleasant to use than Google.
The same solution. Ads on JV, quick response on GPT Search
So yes, if GPT Search becomes free and we give it a few years to improve further and change people’s habits, I think we have a “Google Killer” there.. But, suddenly, it poses a real economic problem. If people get their answers from AI, they will no longer click on the source sites. Without an audience, these sites die. Without these sites, GPT will no longer have reliable sources. And there it will be a disaster.
So how to do it? A solution already in place is the media financing by AI companies. Some (like The World) are already receiving 7-figure sums to get sucked in by AIs. The problem with this method is the advantage it gives to the biggest players. For example, for JV, it will be fine, but for smaller video game sites, it will be the end.
There you go, we will have to resolve this “slight” economic problem. Once settled, I really don’t see anything that could slow down the crazy advances of AI in the world of information.
