I recently heard about ChatGPT having search engine capabilities, but I’m confused about how it works and how to get started. I tried looking for guides online but couldn’t find clear steps. I need advice or a walkthrough on using the ChatGPT search engine effectively.
Lol, yeah, “ChatGPT as a search engine” sounds like sci-fi, but it’s more like ChatGPT with a fancy hat—one that lets it look stuff up online (if you pay for Plus or Team, anyway). Here’s how it goes:
- Make sure you’re on ChatGPT Plus or Team, or using it through Microsoft Copilot/Bing chat. Free GPT usually doesn’t browse the web well, unless they do temporary promos.
- At the top of the ChatGPT window (on desktop), you might see something like “GPT-4” with a dropdown. Set it to “GPT-4 (Browse with Bing)” or “Browse with Bing”. Sometimes it’s called “Internet” or “Beta Browse”. On Copilot or Bing, you just ask.
- Type your question, but be specific if you need up-to-date info! Stuff like “What’s the latest on the Apple M4 chip rumors as of June 2024?” works best.
- ChatGPT will think for a bit, look stuff up, and spit out a summary. Usually, it’ll link sources at the bottom. Click ‘em if you want raw articles.
- Don’t expect Google-level precision. It’s decent for summaries, but sometimes pulls info from random news blogs, and occasionally it’ll make up stuff. Always check the sources if the answer sounds fishy.
And that’s it. It’s no magic Google replacement, but if you just want a TL;DR of “What’s up with [topic] TODAY?” it’s not bad. It can even compare sources and explain what it finds, which is cool if you’re lazy like the rest of us.
Watch out: sometimes the browsing tool craps out or gets “temporarily unavailable.” If that happens, try again later or just… use Google (I know, I know). And yeah, any guides are already out of date by the time you find them, ‘cause they change UI like every week. Rip.
Hope this helps, and if you find any secret ChatGPT search hacks, spill the beans.
Honestly, the so-called “ChatGPT search engine” stuff is a bit overblown IMO. Yeah, like @mikeappsreviewer said, the “Browse with Bing” option is only on paid plans, so if you don’t wanna shell out, you’re stuck using ChatGPT’s old brain, which is like having a librarian who’s been on sabbatical since last year. But I actually don’t agree that it’s anything like a Google replacement, or even a serious alternative.
Here’s my beef: ChatGPT’s browsing mode isn’t a real search engine. It’s more like having an intern who paraphrases whatever’s at the top of Bing that day, but half the time their wifi’s down. It’ll fetch some links, but don’t expect deep dives or niche forum threads—most answers are just off news blurbs.
Also, one thing folks don’t mention: sometimes it seems to ignore your very specific requests and just summarizes a random outdated article. For example, I literally asked about current GPU pricing and it gave me results from last October…not current. I ended up double checking everything anyway.
That said, there are a few perks. If you’re after a quick rundown instead of opening 10 tabs, it’ll do. It summarizes better than a classic search engine. But if details or accuracy matter (schoolwork, technical advice, anything medical/financial), you absolutely have to check the sources. Sometimes the links are behind paywalls or just 404, so good luck with that.
Pro-tip: if you want it to dig a little deeper, try prompting it to compare sources or explain contradictory info (‘Are there any disagreements between sources on [topic]?’). Sometimes you get a more nuanced answer that way. But yeah, don’t throw out your search engine bookmarks yet. ChatGPT browsing is more like your lazy friend who half-remembers a Wikipedia article—not quite the Oracle of All Internet Wisdom. Use with skepticism, please.