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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.
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.
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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.
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Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks
Visa data shows cards and mobile wallets dominate spending, with smartphones now driving a growing share of daily transactions.
Digital payments now account for 80% of all transactions in Saudi Arabia, according to Visa’s latest Where Cash Hides report, another marker of how quickly the Kingdom is moving away from cash.
The share is up four percentage points from a year ago. Around 67% of consumers are now largely non-cash users, paying mainly with cards or mobile wallets. Smartphones are taking a bigger role, with mobile payments making up 16% of transactions.
Cash is retreating in routine spending. Eating out dropped 9%. Bill payments fell 8%, as shoppers opt for faster checkouts and app-based payments.
“The data shows a steady move toward digital payments in Saudi Arabia. Such progress is possible only because banks, fintechs, merchants, and technology partners are moving together in the same direction, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” said Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.
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Despite the recent findings, it’s important to note that cash hasn’t yet disappeared. It still shows up for tips (39%), peer-to-peer transfers (28%) and rent (14%).
Visa points to security features such as tokenization, along with rewards and cashback, as factors nudging more spending onto cards and phones — a shift that tracks with Saudi Arabia’s wider Vision 2030 push to digitize commerce.
Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks
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