When OpenAI launched ChatGPT search in November 2024, it also launched a handy Chrome extension for the same tool. The idea is that you can replace Google Search with ChatGPT search, and it’ll be just like normal.
With that in mind, I took it for an extended trial to see if I really could replace Google with the ChatGPT search Chrome extension.
How to Replace Google Search With ChatGPT Search
First up, replacing Google Search with ChatGPT search is a simple process. All you need to do is download the ChatGPT search Chrome extension, install it, and you’re good to go.
- Head to the ChatGPT search Chrome extension.
- Press Add to Chrome.
- Start searching with ChatGPT.
It’s that simple. Now, when you input a search query into your Omnibox, it’ll open a new ChatGPT window instead, using the ChatGPT 4o model. OpenAI recommends this model as “Great for most questions,” and it has its web search function turned on to give up-to-date information.
Why I Won’t Replace Google Search With ChatGPT Search
I must admit that this tool has become much better since I first tried it. When ChatGPT search first launched in November 2024, I found the process clunky and slow; a pointless “alternative” to Google’s rapid search responses.
Now, ChatGPT search is much faster overall and provides extensive, detailed answers. For example, while writing this article, I needed information on “Electron wrappers” for another article I was editing. With my search switched to ChatGPT, I received a wonderfully detailed explanation with examples, reasons to use it, reasons against using it, examples of the programming language it uses, and more.
The ChatGPT search Chrome extension’s problem is that half the time, I don’t want a detailed, extensive answer—I want a specific web page or a variety of web pages in a search format. Those moments where you just want to input a term and select the best link to disappear when you switch out Google for the ChatGPT search extension.
For example, a friend posted something amusing in Slack, and I wanted to respond with a meme using the “Have I told you about savior” format. However, I forgot I had the ChatGPT search extension enabled and found myself reading a history lesson on the meme rather than browsing a website to knock out a quick, funny picture.
That’s a basic problem, and my day isn’t thrown off course if I can post a meme (well, not that much). However, other, more specific searches are lost, such as those using advanced search operators. ChatGPT doesn’t handle these well, if at all, making searching for specific web pages tricky. I regularly use “[search term] site:makeuseof.com” to find specific articles I want to use for internal links, but this becomes impossible with ChatGPT search taking over.
There are some ways you can improve ChatGPT’s search responses, but most of the time, I just want the correct answers delivered the first time around. Also, I don’t want a new window to open for each search input. I search hundreds of times per day, and having a single window for that is better than having an eruption of ChatGPT tabs throughout my browser.
Keep ChatGPT Search In Its Web App
Don’t get me wrong, ChatGPT search is a great way to find information online. Having the option to search the web without leaving ChatGPT is great, especially now that you can use ChagGPT’s Deep Research tool to build extensive reports. It makes it simple to search for and add information to your ChatGPT conversation, and that’s excellent.
However, it’s still best to keep these tools siloed. ChatGPT search works best when you specifically want that type of in-depth, conversational search experience. Most of the time, for most folks and the majority of day-to-day, standard search terms, Google is still the better option, even if you can use ChatGPT search without an account.
