Most chatbot services require users to create an account, which not only makes AI-based searching inconvenient but also means giving up private account information or phone numbers to third parties. However, this is likely to change as one of the biggest AI LLMs, ChatGPT, has announced that it will no longer require users to create or log in to an account. This will make it function a little more like an AI search engine, providing direct answers to queries instead of listing search results like Google.

Users will be able to access account-free features such as text generation, basic conversations, language translation, math assistance, and general research. However, advanced features like image generation, coding, and file-based inputs will still require a paid account. This announcement, first posted on X (formerly Twitter), has sparked discussions, with many users suggesting that if ChatGPT becomes entirely free to use, Google may no longer be needed; essentially marking the death of Google.

OpenAI seems to be moving toward more “openness”

This move by OpenAI seems to follow a whirlwind of activity led by the new AI LLM, DeepSeek, which experts are calling a game changer in the AI world. Unlike AI models from major tech giants like OpenAI, which keep their models behind the scenes and only expose them through an API or web interface, DeepSeek has taken a much more open approach. Central to this openness is the idea of making the LLM model free for everyone to use without requiring an account or personal data. This is exactly where OpenAI seems to be heading, while DeepSeek, despite pushing for the end of closed-source AI, hasn’t made the same shift as ChatGPT, as its LLM still requires users to create accounts.

With that said, some users are uncertain whether OpenAI's move is as significant as it's being made out to be, and the answer is: it sort of is. Unlike Google, an AI search engine goes out, searches the web, and summarizes results based on your query, effectively doing all the hard work and simply providing the answer. This is especially useful if you want to research a topic but don’t have the time or don’t want to go through different sources as you’d do with a traditional search.

Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that Google is going to shut down its servers, as AI search engines are still in the early stages. However, people are already starting to rely heavily on AI search engines to quickly find solutions to technical queries, without having to sift through forums and Reddit posts themselves – ChatGPT can do that for you. And with more AI companies aiming for AGI, capabilities beyond human abilities, it's only a matter of time before traditional search engines like Google take a significant hit.

About the Author

Hassam Nasir

Hassam boasts over seven years of professional experience as a dedicated PC hardware reviewer and writer.