OpenAI announced Monday that it is rolling out ChatGPT-powered internet search capabilities to all users, marking a significant step in its rivalry with Google. Previously available only to paying subscribers since its launch in late October, this feature now allows free users to access real-time information from the web.

The San Francisco-based tech company has integrated search capabilities directly into ChatGPT, enabling the chatbot to deliver “fast, timely answers” supported by relevant web links. This update positions ChatGPT as a powerful alternative to traditional search engines, with a clean, ad-free interface that mimics platforms like Google and Perplexity.

“We’re bringing search to all logged-in free users of ChatGPT,” said Kevin Weil, OpenAI’s chief product officer, in a video shared on YouTube. “That means it’ll be available globally across all platforms where you use ChatGPT.”

The new functionality promises to improve the chatbot experience by addressing a key limitation: the inability to provide up-to-date information due to previous data cutoffs. By accessing live data from the internet, ChatGPT is now equipped to handle real-time queries, aligning it more closely with competing tools from Google and Microsoft.

Demonstrations of the updated interface showcased search results resembling those of Google and Google Maps, minus the clutter of advertisements. The interface also emphasizes transparency, featuring source links for its answers—a move that enhances its reliability and user trust.

“We’re really just making the ChatGPT experience better with up-to-date information from the web,” said Adam Fry, ChatGPT Search product lead. “We’re rolling this out to hundreds of millions of users, starting today.”

Users can activate the search feature either by default or manually via a web search icon, making it seamlessly accessible without the need for a separate product.

The addition of search functionality places OpenAI in direct competition with tech giants Google and Microsoft, both of which already integrate AI-generated responses into their search results. Google has long dominated the search engine market, while Microsoft has worked to grow its Bing search engine, partly by leveraging its partnership with OpenAI.

Microsoft, a key OpenAI investor, has supported the company through significant funding rounds. OpenAI recently reached a staggering $157 billion valuation, fueled by investments from Microsoft, Japan’s SoftBank, and AI chipmaker Nvidia.

The enhanced capabilities of ChatGPT are expected to entice new users, but they also come with increased computing demands and costs, which are already substantial.

OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, envisions his company as an internet powerhouse. The integration of search into ChatGPT aligns with this ambition, positioning OpenAI as a strong contender in the broader technology ecosystem.

As ChatGPT’s real-time search capabilities roll out to millions of users worldwide, the move could reshape the search landscape, challenging Google’s long-standing dominance and redefining how users interact with search-powered AI tools.