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Sam Altman, Co-Founder of Open AI.
(Daniele/AGF/Shutterstock)

OpenAI takes its assault on Google to the next level by rolling out ChatGPT Search

The company also launched a web-browser extension that would allow users to set ChatGPT search as their default search engine.

Jon Keegan
10/31/24 1:58PM

ChatGPT now has a full-fledged search engine. Today OpenAI announced ChatGPT Search, a new feature built into the company’s ChatGPT AI tool, which opens a new front in the company’s competition with Google.

The feature is available to paid “plus” and “team” subscribers now, and will be rolled out to enterprise and educational customers in the coming weeks, followed by free users months later.

Shares of Google fell 1.8% after the news on Thursday as the broader market also declined.

Users don’t have to specify that they want to perform a web search when asking a question, as the tool will perform web searches when it needs to, but users can choose to select a button that will just give them web results for their queries.

“By integrating search with a chat interface, users can engage with information in a new way, while content owners gain new opportunities to reach a broader audience. We hope to help users discover publishers and websites, while bringing more choice to search,” OpenAI wrote in a press release.

The responses to search queries contain citations, appearing as small gray buttons with the name of the source of the information. Tapping on the buttons takes you to the source article. Users can also pop open a citations sidebar, first listing the cited sources, then a list of relevant search results below it.

Screenshot of ChatGPT Search results (OpenAI)

OpenAI has signed content deals with over a dozen large publishers such as News Corp, the Associated Press, Condé Nast, and Reuters, and this new feature appears to show the fruit of those deals. The company says other publishers can choose to appear in search results by allowing OpenAI’s “OAI-SearchBot” to scrape their sites.

Search results with citations was one of the distinguishing features of startup Perplexity.AI, but the company was recently sued by News Corp’s Dow Jones and New York Post unit for copyright violations. OpenAI’s licensing deals appear designed to avoid this type of legal exposure.

OpenAI also released a web-browser extension to allow users to set ChatGPT Search as the default search engine.

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Amazon is testing adding GM electric vans to its EV delivery fleet dominated by Rivian

Rivian may have some competition in its electric delivery van division: Bloomberg reports that Amazon is testing a small number of GM’s BrightDrop vans for its fleet.

According to Amazon, the test currently only includes a dozen of the vehicles. Amazon’s fleet also contains EVs from Ford, Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz.

GM debuted BrightDrop in 2021, but the vehicles have struggled to sell and piled up on GM lots due to high prices and steep competition. GM began offering up to 40% rebates on the vehicles this year.

The test comes as Rivian struggles through tariffs and the end of EV tax credits. Earlier this year, it lowered its annual delivery outlook by about 13%. As of June, Amazon said it has more than 25,000 Rivian vans across the US. Earlier this week, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is still on track to deliver 100,000 vans to Amazon by 2030 and is “thinking about what comes beyond” that initial target.

GM has sold 1,592 BrightDrop vans through the first half of the year, more than the full-year total it sold in 2024.

GM debuted BrightDrop in 2021, but the vehicles have struggled to sell and piled up on GM lots due to high prices and steep competition. GM began offering up to 40% rebates on the vehicles this year.

The test comes as Rivian struggles through tariffs and the end of EV tax credits. Earlier this year, it lowered its annual delivery outlook by about 13%. As of June, Amazon said it has more than 25,000 Rivian vans across the US. Earlier this week, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is still on track to deliver 100,000 vans to Amazon by 2030 and is “thinking about what comes beyond” that initial target.

GM has sold 1,592 BrightDrop vans through the first half of the year, more than the full-year total it sold in 2024.

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Paramount Skydance reportedly preparing an Ellison-backed Warner Bros. Discovery takeover bid, sending shares soaring

Paramount Skydance is preparing a majority cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, The Wall Street Journal reported, sending shares of both companies surging. The Journal’s sources say the deal is backed by the Ellison family, led by David Ellison.

WBD shares were up 30% on the report, while Paramount Skydance jumped 8%.

The offer would cover WBD’s entire business — cable networks, movie studios, the whole enchilada. That comes after WBD announced plans last year to split into two divisions: one for streaming and studios, the other for its traditional cable and TV assets. A recent Wells Fargo note gave WBD a price target hike, primarily because the analysts viewed it as a prime takeover candidate.

If the deal goes through, it would bring together HBO, CNN, DC Studios, and Warner Bros.’ film library with Paramount+, Nickelodeon, and MTV, all under one umbrella.

The offer would cover WBD’s entire business — cable networks, movie studios, the whole enchilada. That comes after WBD announced plans last year to split into two divisions: one for streaming and studios, the other for its traditional cable and TV assets. A recent Wells Fargo note gave WBD a price target hike, primarily because the analysts viewed it as a prime takeover candidate.

If the deal goes through, it would bring together HBO, CNN, DC Studios, and Warner Bros.’ film library with Paramount+, Nickelodeon, and MTV, all under one umbrella.

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