ChatGPT search
Also called: ChatGPT web search, SearchGPT, ChatGPT with search, OAI-SearchBot
Definition
ChatGPT search is the web search capability inside ChatGPT that answers questions with up-to-date information and links to the web sources it used, shown inline and in a Sources panel.
ChatGPT search lets ChatGPT look things up on the web and answer with links to its sources. OpenAI launched it on October 31, 2024 for paid users, extended it to all logged-in users on December 16, 2024, and made it available to everyone in supported regions, no signup required, on February 5, 2025. It replaced the SearchGPT prototype.
How it works
ChatGPT decides on its own when a question needs fresh information, or you can trigger a search manually. The answer includes inline links, and a Sources button opens a sidebar listing the references. Follow-up questions keep the full context of the chat.
Which sites can appear is controlled by OpenAI's crawlers:
- OAI-SearchBot is used to surface websites in ChatGPT's search features. OpenAI says sites that opt out of it will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers, though they can still appear as navigational links.
- GPTBot collects content that may be used to train models. It is separate: you can block GPTBot and still allow OAI-SearchBot.
OpenAI notes robots.txt changes for search can take about 24 hours to apply.
Why it matters for marketers
ChatGPT is where many buyers now start a "which tool should I use" question. The answer typically names a few options with reasons. If your brand is not in that short list, you lose the buyer before they see your site. That is the AI visibility problem in its most direct form.
Unlike classic search, there is no position to rank for. You are either named or not, cited or not. Tracking it means running the prompts your buyers use and recording the results over time.
How it plays out on Reddit
OpenAI and Reddit announced a partnership on May 16, 2024: OpenAI would access Reddit's Data API to bring Reddit content into ChatGPT and new products, "especially on recent topics". In Peec AI's March 2026 analysis of US AI citations, ChatGPT's top cited domains were Wikipedia, Reddit, Forbes, Techradar and LinkedIn.
So Reddit threads are a regular input to ChatGPT's answers about products. A thread where your product is fairly compared, with specifics (pricing, a limitation, who it fits), gives ChatGPT material to name you accurately. A thread where you are missing gives it nothing. The Reddit SEO and AI search guide covers finding those threads.
Common mistakes
- Blocking OAI-SearchBot by accident. Broad "block all AI bots" rules can remove you from ChatGPT search answers. Decide on GPTBot and OAI-SearchBot separately.
- Assuming ChatGPT reads your site live every time. It works from search results and its own retrieval; make sure your key pages are indexed and clear.
- Seeding Reddit with fake recommendations. Undisclosed self-promotion through alt accounts is astroturfing. It breaks Reddit's rules and tends to get removed before it ever helps.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my website into ChatGPT search results?
Allow OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt, make sure your pages are indexable and publish clear, specific answers to the questions your buyers ask.
Does blocking GPTBot remove me from ChatGPT search?
No. GPTBot is for training. ChatGPT search uses OAI-SearchBot, which you control separately.
Does ChatGPT use Reddit?
Yes. OpenAI has a Data API partnership with Reddit announced in May 2024, and Reddit was the second most-cited domain in ChatGPT answers in Peec AI's March 2026 US data.