ChatGPT created by OpenAI, a not-for-profit AI research lab is a sensation, since its launch in November 2022. OpenAI comes under OpenAI LP, a for-profit organisation, founded by Musk and Altman in 2015. Microsoft has invested $1 billion in OpenAI and is planning to invest further.

ChatGPT, is a chatbot that answers the queries of the users. The whole question-answer session seems to be a communication with a human. The output of ChatGPT depends on its training — browsing of internet or access to new information. It provides answers based on what it has been trained on.

It is thus not a search engine but AI assistant trained to answer users queries. Yet it has stirred up debates whether it would make Google Search obsolete.

ChatGPT scores over Google in so far as the answers are concerned. ChatGPT provides personalised answers. A search engine provides endless links and the user has to figure out what is relevant for him/her. ChatGPT keeps the whole thing interesting, as it is conversational.

Google declared it as a ‘code red’ threat. Google too is working on similar technology called LaMDA or Language Model for Dialogue Applications system.

Though useful, it is premature to assume that ChatGPT would supersede Google. ChatGPT has been criticised for its incorrect answers. ChatGPT requires constant updating, and it is a challenge. Google Search is based on the advertising revenue model, whereas ChatGPT has still to figure out how it could be monetised. The type of business model adopted will decide how big a threat ChatGPT is to Google.

If Microsoft integrates it with Bing, it will end the debate of ChatGPT disrupting the search engine landscape. In fact, AI will be integrated to search engine models, paving a new way.