OpenAI's potential Google search competitor May debut on May 13th

Reuters sources initially suggested that OpenAI aimed to unveil an AI-powered search engine on May 13th, a claim later refuted by the company. According to Bloomberg, this search tool, purportedly utilizing ChatGPT to extract information from the web with citations, might include image display capabilities. Despite founder Sam Altman's denial, OpenAI plans to host a live stream on the 13th at 1 PM Eastern to discuss significant updates concerning ChatGPT and GPT-4. The timing of this potential launch coincides with Google's I/O developer conference, where Google is anticipated to unveil AI advancements, including Gemini-based features in search. This move by OpenAI could potentially challenge Google's announcements at the conference. 

The purported OpenAI offering would also vie with Perplexity, a startup specializing in AI-driven search. Perplexity already presents citations and images in its responses and boasts over 10 million active users monthly. Despite ChatGPT's higher activity (nearly 1.8 billion visits per month as of March, per Similarweb), its suitability as a search tool remains uncertain.

Generative AI, irrespective of the provider, faces challenges, including occasional inaccuracies and the retrieval of outdated information. An effective search engine necessitates both high accuracy and access to up-to-date data. Traditionally, it serves purposes like idea generation or image creation.

Nonetheless, a successful engine could wield considerable influence. It would enable users to conduct searches naturally and receive direct answers instead of ranked results. This shift could prompt website creators to reconsider their content presentation and optimization strategies.

Update 5/10 2:45PM ET: Sam Altman refuted the search engine report but pledged updates on ChatGPT and GPT-4 on the 13th. The story has been revised accordingly.