🟢 TRUE / RELIABLE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
OpenAI launched **SearchGPT** in July 2024 as a prototype AI-powered search engine explicitly designed to rival Google by providing timely, conversational web search results with clear source citations. While initially a standalone prototype, its features were integrated into **ChatGPT Search**, which became publicly available to all users by February 2025, confirming OpenAI’s entry into the search market.
EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS
OpenAI unveiled SearchGPT on July 25, 2024, as a preview of an AI-powered search tool aimed directly at challenging Google, Perplexity, and Bing by delivering “timely answers” from web sources in a ChatGPT-like interface.[1][6] The prototype launched to a small group of users and publishers for testing, with plans to integrate its features into ChatGPT.[1][2][6]
By October 2024, OpenAI released **ChatGPT Search**, incorporating the best elements from the SearchGPT prototype, available initially to Plus, Team, and waitlist users, with rollout to all free users in subsequent months.[4][5] An update on February 5, 2025, confirmed ChatGPT Search was accessible to everyone in supported regions without signup.[4]
SearchGPT was described as a “temporary prototype” separate from AI model training, emphasizing publisher partnerships, source attribution, and controls for content appearance.[1][6] Sources interchangeably refer to ChatGPT Search and SearchGPT as the same product by 2025-2026, with no evidence of a full standalone public launch under the SearchGPT name post-prototype.[3][4][5] All claims are corroborated by OpenAI’s official announcements and reputable outlets like TechCrunch, aligning with the current date of February 2026.
- Key Timeline: Prototype (July 2024) → ChatGPT Search launch (Oct 2024) → Full availability (Feb 2025).
- No conflicting information; later sources confirm evolution, not cancellation.
SOURCES
[1] TechCrunch: OpenAI unveils SearchGPT (July 25, 2024)
[2] CBS News: OpenAI announces SearchGPT (July 30, 2024)
[4] OpenAI Blog: Introducing ChatGPT Search (Updated Feb 5, 2025)
[5] First Page Sage: SearchGPT Optimization Guide (2026)
[6] OpenAI: SearchGPT Prototype Page