OpenAI’s ChatGPT search feature is experiencing significant growth across Europe, with user engagement metrics revealing a sharp increase in monthly active recipients. With this new feature, the AI chatbot can retrieve current information from the web for its answers. Much to the surprise of many, its user base mushroomed from an estimated 41.3 million average monthly active users as of March 31, 2023, to nearly 11.2 million by October 31, 2024.
The report issued by OpenAI Ireland Limited, which oversees the company’s operations within the European Union, highlights that ChatGPT search is gaining momentum in a competitive digital landscape. ChatGPT has taken the world by storm. It’s still far behind Google’s capabilities, which according to some estimates runs 373 times more searches than the AI tool.
ChatGPT’s Place in the Search Market
A separate poll from September found just 8% of current users would choose ChatGPT to be their main search engine. Usage Share This tiny 0.05% suggests very little user preference between ChatGPT or Google Search. That means, even with impressive growth, ChatGPT search is still a distant second option for the majority of internet users.
ChatGPT’s noteworthy search functionality enables it to offer up-to-the-minute information. This feature makes it a tremendously valuable tool for users seeking the most up-to-date information available. A new research ammunition pointed to a serious deficit in the accuracy of search results. It showed that ChatGPT was failing to correctly find 67% of the research articles users were searching for. This mismatch highlights complexities that OpenAI will have to navigate as it further scales its rapidly growing user base.
OpenAI is making regular updates to ChatGPT’s search capabilities. Chief among them is the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which regulates myriad facets of online services throughout European countries. In many ways, the DSA seeks to bring the principles of transparency and accountability to these digital platforms. As part of this commitment, OpenAI defines user engagement as “actually engaging with the service at least once in a given period of time.”
Author’s Opinion
While ChatGPT’s search feature is experiencing impressive growth, the company still faces significant challenges in accuracy and user preference. Despite its ability to provide up-to-date information, the tool has a long way to go before it can rival Google’s dominance. As OpenAI refines its search capabilities, improving accuracy will be essential to winning over users who currently see it as a secondary option to traditional search engines.
