Updated October 15, 2026: OpenAI’s original SearchGPT page now marks the waitlist as closed. For present-day access, use ChatGPT search. The historical coverage below is retained with a separate status update and reader guide.

OpenAI announced SearchGPT on July 25, 2024 as a temporary AI-search prototype for a small group of users and publishers. This article was originally published on August 8, 2024.

Archival 2024 SearchGPT prototype landing page with an old Join the waitlist button; the waitlist is now closed.
Archival screenshot from this article’s 2024 coverage, showing OpenAI’s SearchGPT prototype landing page. The pictured waitlist is now closed; this is not the current ChatGPT interface. See OpenAI’s original announcement.

What the SearchGPT prototype introduced

The July 2024 announcement described three main ideas:

  • Web-informed answers: responses drawing on information from the web.
  • Visible sources: named attribution and links, with more results in a sidebar.
  • Conversational follow-ups: questions that build on the context of earlier exchanges.

Publishers and the original roadmap

OpenAI sought publisher feedback and introduced controls for search visibility, separate from permission to train its generative models. The Atlantic’s Nicholas Thompson emphasized protecting journalism; News Corp’s Robert Thomson highlighted reliable sources and provenance.

At the time, OpenAI planned to improve local information and commerce, then bring successful features into ChatGPT. These were prototype-era plans, rather than guarantees about answer quality or publisher traffic.

What happened after SearchGPT?

  • October 31, 2024: OpenAI launched ChatGPT search, saying feedback from SearchGPT helped shape the integrated experience.
  • December 16, 2024: access expanded to all logged-in users in supported regions.
  • February 5, 2025: OpenAI announced access without signup in regions where ChatGPT is available.

These dates come from OpenAI’s ChatGPT search announcement and its dated updates. The October launch and subsequent rollout are later developments; they should not be read back into the original August 2024 report.

How to use web search now

Open ChatGPT on OpenAI’s official website. In a conversation, choose View all tools → Search and enter your question. ChatGPT may also search automatically when current information would help.

OpenAI’s current web-search guide lists access for Free and paid plans, plus people who are not signed in. Usage limits apply. In managed workspaces, administrator settings can affect access.

Check the source before relying on an answer

A citation is a route to evidence, not proof that an answer is correct. OpenAI warns that results and citations can be incomplete, outdated or incorrect. Open the cited page, check its date, and confirm that it supports the specific claim. Use an authoritative source when accuracy matters.

For a repeatable checklist, use our AI assistant acceptance-test worksheet to record the question, cited evidence and whether the answer passes your checks.

Practical example: before planning a visit, ask for a museum’s opening hours on your exact travel date, including the city and any holiday. Then open the museum’s own visitor-information page. Compare the date, opening time, last admission and any closure notice with the answer. If they differ, ask for a fresh search restricted to the official museum website and resolve the discrepancy before travelling.

This is an illustrative checking workflow, not a reported hands-on test of SearchGPT. It shows why the prototype’s emphasis on source links remains useful: readers still need to examine the underlying evidence.