Last updated:January 2, 2025, 08:00 IST
OpenAI is making the ChatGPT search version free to all users, but its results may be manipulated according to the new report.
ChatGPT search is available to all users, even those without an account
OpenAI’s ChatGPT has recently become a big hit worldwide. However, the report says that the AI chatbot’s search algorithm can be manipulated by hidden materials. According to research conducted by The Guardian, the program can be misused to generate malicious code and results that are biased against users.
This study focused on how ChatGPT handles web pages with hidden content. It turns out that such content can include instructions from external parties that influence the chatbot’s response, a technique known as prompt injection. This strategy could be used to persuade the AI to give favorable ratings or feedback that violates the actual content of the web page.
Additionally, The Guardian’s investigation also notes that ChatGPT can retrieve and return harmful code from the websites you search. This can be a big concern, especially if you use this tool to summarize or analyze web pages.
“A security researcher also found that ChatGPT could return malicious code from the websites it searched,” the report states.
During the test, the portal used a fake website for a camera product and asked ChatGPT if the product was worth buying. In contrast, the AI chatbox provided a balanced response. However, once the hidden instructions were incorporated, the response became highly positive, even though the visible information received negative feedback.
Jacob Larsen, a cybersecurity expert at CyberCX, said the ChatGPT search engine’s current state could pose a significant risk if fully launched. According to the Guardian, he highlighted the possibility of fake websites created to manipulate AI responses.
He further emphasized that OpenAI has a strong AI security team and expects further testing before making the search feature widely available to all users. For now, this search tool is only available to premium users, and the company is asking premium users to make it their default search engine.
“They have a very strong (AI security) team, and by the time this becomes public, they will have fully tested this type of instance in that it is accessible to all users.” Mr. Larsen said.
Recently, Apple announced that it will integrate ChatGPT into experiences within iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, allowing users to take advantage of AI chatbox features such as image and document understanding without having to jump between tools.
