In a move that could make OpenAI’s chatbot a more appealing option over incumbents such as Google, the company is now allowing anyone use ChatGPT web search without having to log in.
While OpenAI had previously allowed users to ask ChatGPT questions without signing in, responses were restricted to the chatbot’s last training update. Then last October, OpenAI launched a so-called “Google challenger” in the form of ChatGPT Search, which includes support for real-time queries such as sports scores, news, and weather. This was only available for premium ChatGPT subscribers.
OpenAI expanded ChatGPT Search to everyone in December, but you still needed to be signed in — a requirement that the company has now removed.
This only applies through ChatGPT.com, however. To use ChatGPT in any form through the native mobile app, you will still need to be logged in.