OpenAI expands ChatGPT Search to all users, no login required

OpenAI is continuing its rapid pace of updates with a significant expansion of ChatGPT Search, making the tool accessible to anyone even without an account or login. The company announced the update on Wednesday, removing previous restrictions that limited access to paid subscribers and logged-in free users.

The AI firm first introduced ChatGPT Search to ChatGPT Plus users in 2023, before gradually expanding access to all logged-in users by the end of 2024. Now, OpenAI is taking the next big step by allowing completely open access to its AI-powered search capabilities.

According to OpenAI, the AI chatbot can now provide real-time, web-based search results without requiring users to sign in.

The tool is designed to automatically fetch the latest information for most queries. However, users can also manually prompt the chatbot to search the web by tapping the “Search” button located below the input bar.

The latest update signals OpenAI’s increasing push into the search market, positioning ChatGPT as a direct challenger to Google’s search dominance. While the AI-powered search tool still operates differently from Google’s traditional search engine, OpenAI’s strategy is clear—to provide instant, AI-curated answers instead of just displaying web links.

Additionally, OpenAI is also facing growing competition from AI-first search startups like DeepSeek, which has been making headlines with its low-cost AI models and rapid expansion.

The expansion of ChatGPT Search is just one in a series of recent updates from OpenAI. Over the past week alone, the company has:

- Launched the o3-mini model, its latest AI advancement

- Introduced “Deep Research,” a new ChatGPT feature for multi-step queries

- Unveiled a refreshed logo and branding