OpenAI Buys Chat.com: Is This Another Move to Take on Google?

OpenAI just made a bold move.

They've acquired Chat.com, one of the oldest and most premium domain names on the web.

If you head over to Chat.com right now, you'll notice it redirects straight to ChatGPT, OpenAI's AI-powered chatbot.

An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the acquisition, but they’re keeping tight-lipped about how much they paid.

Last year, Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and CTO of HubSpot, snapped up Chat.com for a whopping $15.5 million.

That made it one of the highest publicly reported domain sales ever.

Earlier this year, Shah announced he'd sold Chat.com to an unnamed buyer.

He later hinted on X (formerly Twitter) that OpenAI was the buyer and suggested he might've received OpenAI shares as part of the deal.

Now he confirmed it on Linkedin.

So, what's the big deal with OpenAI owning Chat.com and is this another strategic move to take on Google?

The Rise of ChatGPT Search

Recently, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Search (CGS), marking a significant shift from traditional search engines to AI-powered search.

They're positioning themselves to compete head-on with Google Search.

In their announcement, they threw a subtle jab at how search works today:

"Getting useful answers on the web can take a lot of effort. It often requires multiple searches and digging through links to find quality sources and the right information for you."

Translation?

"Let us give you straight answers without all the hassle."

CGS isn’t a standalone search engine.

It's integrated directly into ChatGPT.

It decides whether your query needs web results or not.

And if you prefer, you can manually choose to search by clicking the web search icon.

The cool part?

You can keep the conversation going with follow-up questions.

ChatGPT considers the full context to provide better answers.

Plus, the interface prominently features links to sources, so you can dive deeper if you want.

My Earlier Thoughts on ChatGPT vs. Google

When ChatGPT first launched, I, like many others, wondered if this could be the end of Google as we know it.

Twitter was buzzing with speculations about Google’s demise.

One user declared, "Google is done."

I decided to put it to the test earlier this year. And although ChatGPT (and Google) have already evolved since then, the points are still valid.

I asked ChatGPT:

"What length is proper to use for a title tag when optimizing for SEO?"

ChatGPT responded:

"When optimizing a title tag for SEO in Google, it's best to keep the length between 50 and 60 characters. This will ensure that the title is properly displayed in the search results without getting cut off. It's also important to include keywords in the title that are relevant to the content on the page, as this can help improve the page's search engine ranking."

I posed a similar question to Google and got a featured snippet from SEMRush:

"Optimizing your title tags is one of the easiest ways to help improve your rankings on Google. They signal to Google what your page is about. Generally, it's best to keep title tags between 50 to 60 characters. This way, words won't get cut off on desktop or mobile SERPs."

The quality of the answers was almost identical.

But visually?

ChatGPT was the clear winner.

No ads, no clutter—just the answer I needed.

Google's results, on the other hand, were surrounded by ads and other distractions.

However, Google offers easy navigation to more answers and different directions.

Sometimes, you need to know the source of the information.

Google excels here by providing links to reputable sites.

With ChatGPT, the source is a bit of a black box.

And then there’s speed.

Google has always been lightning-fast.

Not only does it generate answers quickly, but as a user, it's faster to click, skim, and interact with content.

Creating different queries and having a conversation with an AI might be slower for some users.

OpenAI's Strategic Advantage

Back to OpenAI.

Their strategic advantage lies in being user-centric without the constraints of ad revenue.

Unlike Google, they don't need to clutter their interface with ads.

This allows for a cleaner, more focused user experience.

In a previous piece, I mentioned that OpenAI loses about $5 billion a year in expenses.

Capturing just 3% of Google's $175 billion search business would allow OpenAI to recoup those expenses.

CGS offers a new paradigm where AI chatbots solve user problems with less friction than traditional search engines.

But this puts companies in a tricky spot.

Should they invest early in AI search or stick to traditional SEO strategies?

Here's why it's a tough call:

• Divided Opinions: Not everyone agrees on whether ChatGPT can take significant market share from Google.
• Rapid Changes: AI search platforms are evolving quickly.
• Uncertainty: There's confusion about the best course of action.

Historically, early adopters in SEO reaped massive benefits.

Being a first-mover matters.

The Collision Course: Traffic Trends

Based on recent trends, ChatGPT could catch up to Google in traffic in just two years if growth continues at the same rate.

Sounds crazy, right?

But consider this—technology adoption happens faster today than ever before.

ChatGPT's traffic has already overtaken Bing, making it the #3 search engine (YouTube is #2).

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More and more people are saying they use ChatGPT instead of Google.

Could be anecdotal, but it's worth noting.

Some argue that comparing ChatGPT to Bing isn't fair since they serve different functions.

But that's precisely the point.

People are using ChatGPT to accomplish the same goals they have when they use a search engine—finding information, solving problems.

So when chatgpt.com surpasses bing.com in traffic, it's significant.

Am I saying Google is doomed?

No.

But I do think CGS has a real chance to grab significant market share, and many underestimate how fast this could happen.

Companies and SEO Strategies: What to Do?

So, how should companies respond?

Here's my take.

For now, don't pivot away from your SEO roadmap. But start considering how to optimize for AI answers (and Googles AI Overviews) in general.

Google's Still in the Game

It's not like Google is behind in the AI space.

Far from it.

They've been integrating AI and machine learning into search for years.

Google uses AI to understand queries, determine what kind of results to show, and even whether to display featured snippets or product images.

Back in 2014, they acquired DeepMind.

Earlier this year, DeepMind launched Chinchilla, a GPT-3 competitor.

Plus, Google has thousands of developers working on AI technologies.

Remember when Wolfram Alpha was speculated to be a "Google killer" back in 2009?

Yeah, that didn't happen.

Speed and User Experience

Speed has always been Google's ace.

They've set the bar for lightning-fast results.

It's not just about how quickly the answer is generated, but also how fast users can interact with the results.

For many, it's quicker to click through links and skim content than to engage in a back-and-forth conversation with an AI.

And let's face it—people are creatures of habit.

The Bigger Picture - The Future of the Open Web?

Now, let's circle back to the acquisition of Chat.com.

Is it a coincidence that ChatGPT Search rolled out just three days after Apple Intelligence launched publicly?

Apple is integrating ChatGPT into experiences within iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.

Users can access ChatGPT's expertise without needing to jump between tools.

Siri can tap into ChatGPT when helpful.

And let's not forget how valuable Google's exclusive search deal with Apple has been.

Court documents revealed that 28% of Google searches in the U.S. come from Safari, accounting for 56% of their search volume.

Is OpenAI positioning itself to become Apple's new search partner?

Here's a thought-provoking question.

As more users rely on AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity to get answers, will the open web become a place primarily for bots rather than humans?

How would that change the purpose and design of websites?

If AI chatbots become the primary interface for information retrieval, websites might evolve to cater more to bots.

Content could become more structured and optimized for AI consumption, rather than human browsing.

So, is this another move by OpenAI to take on Google?

I think so. But not only Google, but a general move towards becoming a consumer product as well as the underlying AI API infrastructure of the software of tomorrow.

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