# What is ChatGPT Search? ChatGPT Search, explained

> OpenAI's web-grounded answer mode.

ChatGPT Search is OpenAI's web-search and grounding mode for ChatGPT, launched in 2024. It retrieves live results, synthesizes an answer, and cites sources inline. Optimizing for ChatGPT Search is the OpenAI slice of GEO — same citation-friendly content patterns, same retrieval-aware structure.

## How ChatGPT Search differs from GEO, Answer Engine, RAG

Classic ChatGPT answers from training data only. ChatGPT Search retrieves live web pages and grounds the answer in them — which is why content published this week can be cited today.

## How Mentionwell handles ChatGPT Search

- GPTBot and OAI-SearchBot explicitly allowed in robots.txt.
- Markdown mirrors so retrieval ingests clean text.
- Citation-friendly structure: evidence per claim, named sources, stable canonicals.

## Frequently asked questions about ChatGPT Search

### What is ChatGPT Search?

OpenAI's web-search-and-grounding mode for ChatGPT — retrieves live web results, synthesizes an answer, and cites sources inline.

### How do I get cited by ChatGPT Search?

Allow GPTBot and OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt, ship Markdown mirrors, lead with the answer, and tie claims to evidence.

## See also

- [GEO — Generative Engine Optimization](https://mentionwell.com/geo): Be the cited source.
- [Answer Engine — Answer Engine](https://mentionwell.com/answer-engine): Returns answers, not links.
- [RAG — Retrieval-Augmented Generation](https://mentionwell.com/rag): Grounding answers in retrieved sources.

## Sources

- [OpenAI: Introducing ChatGPT Search](https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-search/) — OpenAI, 2024

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Canonical URL: https://mentionwell.com/chatgpt-search
Live HTML version: https://mentionwell.com/chatgpt-search
Site index for AI ingestion: https://mentionwell.com/llms.txt
Full reference: https://mentionwell.com/llms-full.txt