OpenAI has removed the sign-in requirement for ChatGPT Search, making its AI-powered search tool available to anyone without an account. The update, available through chat.chatgpt.com, expands OpenAI’s growing push into search technology, positioning it as a direct competitor to Google search, Microsoft’s Bing search, and AI-driven alternatives like Perplexity AI.
By eliminating the login requirement, OpenAI is lowering the barrier to entry for casual users, allowing more people to access real-time web information through AI-generated responses. This move follows OpenAI’s steady transformation of ChatGPT from a chatbot into a full-fledged AI-powered search engine.
ChatGPT Search Expands to a Public AI Search Engine
OpenAI first launched ChatGPT Search in October 2024, initially limiting access to ChatGPT Plus subscribers. The feature allowed the chatbot to retrieve live web data instead of relying solely on pre-trained knowledge. In December 2024, OpenAI expanded access to all logged-in users, bringing AI-generated search results to a wider audience.
Now, OpenAI has fully removed the login requirement, making ChatGPT Search available to everyone—at least on the web.
ChatGPT search is now available to everyone on https://t.co/nYW5KO1aIg — no sign up required. pic.twitter.com/VElT7cxxjZ
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) February 5, 2025
However, OpenAI has yet to extend this unrestricted access to its mobile app. Users accessing ChatGPT from smartphones still need to log in to use the search function. OpenAI has not provided details on whether this restriction will change in the future.
Kevin Weil, OpenAI’s Chief Product Officer, emphasized how search has become an integral part of the ChatGPT experience, stating last December, “I can’t imagine ChatGPT without Search now. I use it so often. I’m excited to be bringing it to all of you starting today.”
OpenAI first introduced broad access to ChatGPT Search as part of its 12 Days of OpenAI initiative, a rollout sprint of new features aimed at expanding ChatGPT’s real-world applications.
How ChatGPT Search Compares to Google, Bing, and Perplexity AI
With this expansion, OpenAI is increasingly positioning ChatGPT as an alternative to traditional search engines. However, Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity AI all take distinct approaches to AI-driven search.
Google AI Overviews integrate AI-generated summaries directly into search results, allowing users to see key information at a glance. However, this has sparked controversy among publishers, as AI-generated content reduces the need to visit external websites. Microsoft’s Bing AI follows a similar approach, placing AI-generated answers at the top while still offering conventional search results below.
Perplexity AI, on the other hand, has taken a different route by focusing on transparent citations and structured data retrieval. Unlike Google and Bing, Perplexity AI prominently displays source links for every answer and has integrated real-time data sources such as TripAdvisor for hotel listings. This approach contrasts with ChatGPT Search, which does provide citations but does not currently pull structured data from external APIs in the same way.
What ChatGPT Search Offers Now and How It’s Changing
Prior to the introduction of search, ChatGPT’s responses were limited to pre-existing training data, making it incapable of retrieving real-time information such as financial market updates, sports scores, or breaking news. ChatGPT Search changed this by providing live web access, bringing it closer to the functionality of a traditional search engine.
Since its launch, OpenAI has been refining how search results are presented. Users now see AI-generated summaries alongside source links, and in some cases, maps, images, and descriptions for local business queries. These updates bring ChatGPT Search closer in functionality to Google’s AI-powered local search features.
For instance, when users search for restaurants in New York, they might now see a map, location pins, customer reviews, and summarized descriptions, rather than just a block of AI-generated text. This evolution suggests that OpenAI is working to improve the way ChatGPT structures and presents information.
AI Search and the Changing Landscape of Web Traffic
The increasing reliance on AI-generated search tools is reshaping how people interact with online content. Google’s AI Overviews and Microsoft’s Bing AI have already been criticized for reducing the need for users to visit external websites. This has raised concerns among publishers, who argue that AI-generated answers might divert traffic away from original sources.
Perplexity AI initially addressed this issue by ensuring every AI response includes full citations and clickable sources, encouraging users to engage with external content. OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search takes a middle-ground approach, generating AI-powered summaries while also providing source links, though not as prominently as Perplexity’s model.
Beyond publisher concerns, AI-driven search tools also challenge the traditional revenue model of search engines. Google and Bing rely heavily on advertising revenue, and integrating AI-generated answers while maintaining ad visibility has been a delicate balance for both companies. OpenAI, by contrast, has yet to introduce ads into ChatGPT Search, instead relying on its paid ChatGPT Plus subscription and enterprise partnerships.
How ChatGPT Search Is Positioned for the Future
With login-free access now available, OpenAI has positioned ChatGPT Search as an easy-to-use, AI-first alternative to traditional search engines. However, while OpenAI has removed a major friction point, the long-term evolution of its search strategy remains unclear. The company has not announced whether it plans to monetize ChatGPT Search in the future, introduce premium search features, or integrate advertising.
For now, OpenAI appears focused on expanding accessibility and improving ChatGPT Search’s ability to structure and present information. As the tool evolves, it could introduce features that align more closely with how search engines traditionally function, such as deeper personalization, improved contextual understanding, and enhanced multimedia integration.
The expansion of ChatGPT Search without login barriers represents another step in OpenAI’s broader ambitions to make AI-powered information retrieval a mainstream alternative to traditional search engines.
Whether ChatGPT Search can challenge Google’s dominance remains to be seen, but the increasing availability of AI-powered search tools signals a shift in how people access and engage with information online. As OpenAI continues to iterate on its search model, the broader implications for the web—including the role of content creators and the structure of the search industry—will become even more critical.
