As ChatGPT sparks more public interest in Conversational AI than Google’s LaMDA, can it also conquer the search engine turf?
Whether it’s passing Wharton’s MBA test or clearing the United States Medical Licensing Exam, ChatGPT performs a new marvel every day.
If the latest news is anything to go by, Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI can extend to integrating ChatGPT to improve Bing, Microsoft’s search engine. Its machine-learning technology can certainly enable Bing to respond like a human to questions instead of just providing links to information.
Bing may soon be getting ChatGPT-enhanced search capabilities, as Microsoft looks to capitalize on its $10 billion investment in Open AI. This investment includes an exclusive multi-year cloud-computing partnership to build new Azure AI supercomputing technologies.
If everything goes according to plan, we could see these new features as early as March.
As per Statscounter, Google controls 92.5% of the worldwide search market, followed by Bing at 3% and Yahoo at 1.24%. The reason for this is that it’s knowledge panel is more prominent when searching for information regarding people, places, and organizations.
So, will this move change the status quo in the search market— one that’s currently dominated by Google? Let’s explore.
How did it all start?
In November 2022, OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot, ChatGPT, was released for public testing. Almost a million people signed up within the first few days, making it a blockbuster.
This has not gone unnoticed with Google immediately marking the development, ‘Code Red’. CEO, Sundar Pichai, attended several meetings to revolutionize its core AI strategy.
Google’s Research, Trust and Safety division, among other departments, have been instructed to assist with the development and launch of new AI prototypes and products. In fact, few employees have even been tasked with building AI products similar to OpenAI’s DALL-E, used by millions.
This means that the battle between Google and ChatGpt is far from over.
What does ChatGPT think about this? Here’s what it said
“It is possible that some users may prefer using ChatGPT over Google for certain tasks, but it is unlikely that ChatGPT will completely replace it as the preferred choice for most users.
Google is a multi-functional platform that offers a wide range of services, including search, email, maps, and many more. These services are widely used by millions of people globally and have become an integral part of their daily lives.
ChatGPT, on the other hand, is a language model that can assist users in generating text based on their input. While it is a powerful tool for generating human-like text, it is not designed to replace
Google or other search engines as a source of information or a provider of other services.
Therefore, while some users may prefer using ChatGPT for specific tasks, it is unlikely that it will completely replace it as the preferred choice for the majority of users.
Google’s extensive range of services, combined with its user-friendly interface and trusted reputation, make it a valuable tool that is unlikely to be fully replaced by ChatGPT or any other platform.”
Why has Bing trailed behind Google?
Despite launching fifteen years after Google, Microsoft’s Bing search engine has been unable to compete with the latter. Google originated as a dedicated search engine while Microsoft had a larger focus on their other products (Windows and Office). As such, it was able to place all of its attention into building the best, most efficient search engine which ultimately gave them an advantage.
Google is renowned for its user-centric approach as it gathers an abundance of data with the most accurate results. As a developer-friendly organization, Google recruits highly valuable talent to continually strengthen its algorithm capabilities. In no time, it became an industry leader in providing reliable and relevant search results.
Can everything change with ChatGPT?
ChatGPT, with its improved accuracy and speed, can give Bing the edge in meeting user expectations for tailored search results. As a result, it could become attractive to users searching for specific information. That said, Google has the resources to create similar technologies if required.
Google has an impressive selection of data, resources, custom chips, and AI models that could be utilized to simulate a technology like ChatGPT. Their TPUs (Tensor Processing Units) and models—including LaMDA, PaLM, and Chinchilla—are especially noteworthy and have the capability to create a working system akin to ChatGPT.
How does Google search work?
No matter what you’re looking for, Google Search will help you find it. Their unique algorithm ensures that you always get the best results possible.
It’s search technology is powered by a sophisticated algorithm that can interpret a user’s query and offer the most relevant and helpful results. This system uses machine learning and natural language processing to match the user’s query with relevant websites.
Thanks to Google’s search algorithm, we can easily find the information we need online. This algorithm indexes the text on billions of web pages that are kept on its servers so that when we conduct a search, the most relevant and helpful results are displayed. This is a great benefit to users all over the world who want to access information quickly and easily.
Limitations of Google’s Search Results
Do you often struggle to find relevant, comprehensive answers to complex questions? Perhaps you’re considering switching your dog’s diet. In this case, sorting through the many search engine results in order to make an informed decision could be time-consuming and overwhelming. Knowing which articles are factual, reliable and trending can make the process simpler.
The future of search will change for the better with ChatGPT. AI researchers predict that this could potentially create a superior searching experience compared to Google and overthrow its decades-long reign. Hence, it goes without saying that ChatGPT is the first new technology in more than ten years which could actually transform search and cause relatively drastic changes in the search market leadership.
How does ChatGPT’s search work?
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is a powerful language model that can generate and understand natural language. Because it’s been trained on a large dataset of text, it may produce text that’s similar to the training data. However, the search algorithm used by ChatGPT is different from Google’s. ChatGPT uses its understanding of natural language to respond to queries or generate output based on input, rather than crawling the internet and indexing web pages.
Even though OpenAI’s ChatGPT only has information on news events before 2021, Microsoft might integrate it into Bing before March 2023. In addition to links and advertisements, the search engine would be able to respond to search queries in concise and precise prose.
The ChatGPT model is able to interpret and respond to user queries by leveraging its understanding of natural language. By processing a large amount of data, the model is able to learn the context of the user’s question and produce an accurate response. Google Search has its own advantages, such as the large volume of data they have access to and the range of tools they can use to obtain that data.
ChatGPT possesses a unique ability that exceeds Google Search’s limitations in capturing human intelligence: it enables two-way human-like conversation. However, the question of how people want to search remains unanswered.
Limitations of ChatGPT as a search tool
ChatGPT servers are constructed differently than those of Google and they tend to be more susceptible to crashing due to high levels of usage. Therefore, it is important to monitor the number of requests being sent to ChatGPT servers.
Google’s unique capabilities such as personalized knowledge regarding objects, places, people, and companies make it an indispensable resource. For example, if you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone special in your life, Google can provide up to date recommendations from shopping sites. Compared to other programs, it offers superior assistance when it comes to finding the ideal present.
ChatGPT is a large language model, rather than a traditional search engine, so it may not have the same access to information as other search engines. This means results may be more limited and not as up-to-date, and this impacts its effectiveness – particularly for searches requiring large amounts of data or real-time information.
ChatGPT may have a few limitations, though these could be mitigated with the integration of a search engine such as Bing. It remains to be seen if Microsoft’s new project will be successful in establishing its own identity or follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, Cortana.
Right now, experts are debating whether people prefer limited options and simple answers. ChatGPT is seen as a major advancement, but it won’t replace Google Search anytime soon. Despite this, ChatGPT’s growth and popularity suggest a shift in the potential direction of online search tools and has the potential to change consumer search habits on the internet.
What’s the way forward for Google?
During the company’s Q4 results call on February 2nd, CEO Sundar Pichai announced plans to integrate artificial intelligence into its search engine. The company’s newest, most powerful AI model will soon be available as a companion to search, according to Pichai. As part of its Search’s factual and conversational results, a proprietary language model will be used: LaMDA. Developers and partners will be able to create AI apps using new APIs and tools provided by Google, Pichai stated.
In identifying the missing gap early on, Google is taking steps to retain their status as a market leader in search engine, and this signals a positive step forward.