One example which shows usefulness of 'ChatGPT style' search.
I'm in the market for a new car but have a particular requirement about size of the vehicle (width, length) due to parking constraints at my location.
Instead of going to Google, I went to ChatGPT and asked it to compare two different models in terms of size - these two were within my budget and style.
The answer that came about was exactly that I was looking for; it felt like some family vehicle expert nicely, helpfully and with empathy explaining the size difference without throwing all mm/cm from the get-go. It started by saying something to the effect: Overall Model1 is slightly larger than Model2, but lengthwise it is more... (I don't remember how exactly it went and too lazy to regenerate the result and paste it here).
Part of it is lack of monetization and advertising. We have forgotten what technology is capable of if it's not overrun by business people.
For now no one paied ChatGPT to "recommend" you one over the other or engaged in SEO to game the system.
Once that happens it will just as trustworthy as a Google search and smart people will develop a sense of mistrusting the system just like they would a smooth talking sleazy car sales person, who is also a subject matter expert.
Unless we are directly paying Microsoft I don't see a way around it and probably not even then.
Why not a link at the bottom which takes to the identified car company website, where I get to see 360 degree view along with all other jazz that the company's marketing spent millions on; and they would be thankful to send some hundreds to ChatGPT way.
This is exactly how Google AdWords started. To your point yes, it may go Google way, but there is hope (atleast in the initial years) it may not.
I agree it will be a process but the motivation to game the lists, comparisons and evaluation in the "natural" result parts will be enormous.
If I search for "recipe for an apple pie" google (and the internet), has the information/technology to give me the one paragraph exceprt from my grandma's cooking book that would make me happy.
Instead I get bloated spammy pages filled to the brim with ads.
Maybe I'm cynical to not believe that Microsoft just scoffs at all those opportunities to get squeeze out extra money.
I'm in the market for a new car but have a particular requirement about size of the vehicle (width, length) due to parking constraints at my location.
Instead of going to Google, I went to ChatGPT and asked it to compare two different models in terms of size - these two were within my budget and style.
The answer that came about was exactly that I was looking for; it felt like some family vehicle expert nicely, helpfully and with empathy explaining the size difference without throwing all mm/cm from the get-go. It started by saying something to the effect: Overall Model1 is slightly larger than Model2, but lengthwise it is more... (I don't remember how exactly it went and too lazy to regenerate the result and paste it here).