The initial reviews of OpenAI's SearchGPT, a potential challenger to Google Search, have arrived with mixed reactions. Despite the anticipation surrounding its launch in July, it appears Google's position remains secure for the time being. SearchGPT, which was designed to streamline the search process by providing AI-generated, well-structured answers instead of traditional search listings, utilises data from Bing and other sources. OpenAI envisions this as a comprehensive tool for information seekers. Interestingly, Google has also introduced AI-generated summaries called AI Overviews above its regular search results.

Feedback from early users indicates some kinks need ironing out; inaccuracies and so-called "hallucinated" data have been noted, where the AI confidently delivers incorrect information. Some users like Ananay Arora, a software engineer, found SearchGPT's image results and source labeling underwhelming. Conversely, tech professional Daniel Lemire acknowledges its superiority over Google's AI Overviews but believes that both are outshone by the AI startup Perplexity.

AI enthusiast Matt Berman pointed out in a YouTube review that while there are instances where AI search tools surpass Google in areas like event planning or coding, errors such as incorrect details about conference speakers highlight the challenges of reliability. OpenAI's strategy to launch SearchGPT as a prototype first suggests a strategic approach, allowing time to refine the system. Although SearchGPT has a strong user base, thanks to ChatGPT's 200 million weekly users, it hasn't yet made a significant dent in Google's market share, particularly in domains like online shopping and local inquiries, according to search marketing firm BrightEdge.

The advancements being made still suggest that significant changes in how we search and interact with online information could be on the horizon.