HAYDN ELLEN

With the recent announcement that ChatGPT now has web search capability, could we be witnessing the dawn of the next generation of search technology? This shift feels reminiscent of when Yahoo! dominated in the ’90s, only to be decisively overtaken by Google in the early 2000s.

I remember those early days of Google. A friend of mine invited me over to help solve a networking problem, and during that time, he performed a search on Google’s early version. I didn’t think much of it then, but in hindsight, it was clear that something revolutionary was taking shape. Google soon became the dominant search engine, and Yahoo! gradually faded into the background. Now, “Google” is practically synonymous with online search, a tool embedded in our daily lives.

Back then, the idea that Yahoo! might not always be the primary search engine didn’t even cross my mind. Yet here we are, with Google reigning as the king of search. But could ChatGPT become the next big disruptor?

ChatGPT’s new web search feature could be a game-changer, allowing it to pull in real-time information on sports scores, stock prices, weather, and more. No longer limited to pre-existing knowledge, ChatGPT now has the ability to look things up directly from the web when we ask it a question. It’s as if it can browse for answers, delivering up-to-date responses and even citing relevant sources. This is huge. It brings us a step closer to having an all-in-one assistant, something more powerful and flexible than we’ve ever had before.

Google has long dominated the search landscape, but ChatGPT has arrived with the potential to reshape how we find and interact with information. Like Google, ChatGPT could transform lives by making information instantly accessible. But ChatGPT goes beyond search. Google offers a list of links in response to a query, asking us to sift through options and find what we need. ChatGPT, however, provides a single, cohesive answer drawn from a wealth of sources—saving us the time and effort of clicking through multiple pages.

While Google’s apps and tools are nearly indispensable to many in both personal and professional realms, they’ve never quite captured the essence of true human thought and knowledge. They provide data, yes, but not a resource that feels like it grows with us. ChatGPT, on the other hand, represents a different leap in technology—it combines an immense reservoir of information, integrates reasoning, and presents it in a way that mimics thoughtful human responses. This evolution in information technology is powerful.

Where we once said, “Google it,” we might soon find ourselves saying, “ChatGPT it”—and for good reason. Google organizes information across the web, presenting it as a list of links, leaving users to piece together the details they need. ChatGPT, in contrast, synthesizes vast knowledge into a single, well-rounded answer, drawing on the collective information of countless sources. This isn’t just search; it’s a conversation with knowledge itself, one that will only become more refined and relevant over time.

Time, in fact, is key. ChatGPT will only improve as it learns, whereas Google’s traditional search approach may start to feel less relevant.

What ChatGPT represents is more than just search. It’s a versatile AI assistant that can proofread articles, check grammar, refactor code, generate artwork, answer complex questions, and much more. The possibilities are expanding with every update. And while it still has limitations, it will keep evolving—growing smarter and more capable with each passing day.

I find it hard to think of a single task ChatGPT cannot help with. If I need a quick answer, it’s there. If I want an article reviewed, it’s done. If I need a feature image, it’s ready in seconds. This efficiency, versatility, and responsiveness explain why ChatGPT could very well become the next indispensable tool in our digital lives. It’s just a matter of time.

For those concerned about AI’s dominance and the potential threat it poses to humanity, consider this: AI depends on humans far more than we depend on it. Every answer, insight, and function that ChatGPT offers is grounded in human knowledge. To continue advancing, AI will always rely on humans with innovative minds who are willing to share their expertise—not for the benefit of AI alone, but because AI has become a powerful platform for preserving and distributing knowledge. AI has created a unique opportunity to broaden access to knowledge, empowering those who need it.

So, let’s embrace ChatGPT and AI as tools to expand our knowledge, boost productivity, improve our earnings, and enhance our lives overall.

And as for Google—well, maybe it’s time to look forward instead of looking back.