News

OpenAI Prepares To Make ChatGPT Search Available To All

The company is expanding its ChatGPT Search feature to all users, no subscription needed, offering web results, voice integration, and more.

Published

2 years ago

December 17, 2024

Nour Nasir

OpenAI

If you’ve been holding out to get your hands on ChatGPT Search, the wait is nearly over. During OpenAI’s latest “12 Days of OpenAI” livestream event, the company confirmed on Monday that the tool will soon be accessible to everyone — no subscription required. Previously limited to paying users, OpenAI now says the rollout will happen “over the coming months,” meaning anyone with an account will gain access.

Once the feature goes live, using ChatGPT Search will be pretty straightforward. If your query calls for updated information, the chatbot will automatically pull in real-time results from the web. There’s also a new web search icon built into the prompt bar, letting you manually trigger a search whenever you need it. For added convenience, OpenAI has introduced the option to set ChatGPT Search as your browser’s default search engine.

Alongside this update, OpenAI is also combining ChatGPT Search with its Advanced Voice mode. The integration means the chatbot’s voice assistant can now search the web for answers and respond conversationally. For instance, if you’re planning a trip, you could simply ask ChatGPT about the weather forecast for your journey. Thanks to the Search functionality, it’ll provide you with the most current information available.

Also Read: Foundster Is Dubai’s New AI-Driven Company Setup Service

To power these real-time capabilities, OpenAI has partnered with top news and data providers. As part of this expanded functionality, you’ll also start seeing widgets for live stock updates, sports scores, weather reports, and other helpful information. It’s becoming clear that ChatGPT Search isn’t just another AI feature — it’s quickly shaping up to be a strong alternative to Google.

In previous sessions of “12 Days of OpenAI,” the company has unveiled features like Sora and a new $200 ChatGPT Pro subscription plan. With four more days left in the series, OpenAI might still have a few surprises in store, but the move to make ChatGPT Search widely available is already one of its biggest highlights.

Related Topics:Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT OpenAI

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News

NEOPAY Wants To Follow Merchants Across Channels And Borders

A controlling 65% stake in noon payments would give NEOPAY access to marketplace sellers, online merchants and the payment flows they generate.

Published

1 day ago

October 5, 2026

Nour Nasir

neopay wants to follow merchants across channels and borders

It’s been a long time since checkouts were single defined places. A merchant might take payments at a physical register, on its own website and through an online marketplace, sometimes in more than one country. NEOPAY wants to follow those transactions wherever they happen.

The UAE payments company has entered into an agreement to acquire a 65% controlling stake in noon payments. NEOPAY already runs the acquiring infrastructure that lets merchants accept card payments, along with omnichannel acceptance and a merchant services platform. This new deal would add noon payments’ embedded payments platform, e-commerce gateway and merchant network across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. That would considerably expand both NEOPAY’s digital commerce capabilities and its regional reach.

For merchants, the attraction is a single provider for online and in-store payments, plus faster settlements, data and analytics, and value-added financial services.

“Payments should be simple, reliable, and built for the markets they serve,” said Faraz Khalid, CEO of noon. His counterpart at NEOPAY, Vibhor Mundhada, added: “We have built a strong payments business in the UAE, and our ambition is now to take that capability across the region”. The acquisition, Mundhada added, would “expand our footprint into Saudi Arabia and Egypt” while reinforcing NEOPAY’s position at home.

Also Read: In Kuwait, Your Surgeon Might Be Operating From Another Country

NEOPAY is also keen to point out potential payment volume increases. The company says noon payments’ integrations with marketplace sellers and online merchants create high transaction density in some of the region’s fastest-growing digital commerce segments. It also believes control of the business would give it access to those merchant relationships and payment flows, and speed up the rollout of alternative payment methods and installment options.

The combined roadmap targets faster merchant onboarding, better payment performance, tighter fraud controls and embedded financial services. The deal could also strengthen cross-border payments and settlement along key regional commerce corridors.