ChatGPT Search usage of the site: operator jumped from roughly 0.5% to between 16% and 17% on August 8. This spike coincided with the rollout of GPT-5.6 and OpenAIs August 6th announcement regarding improved fact reliability for Plus and Pro users. Promptwatch data indicates the change was likely staged, as usage dipped briefly before surging. The shift suggests OpenAI updated its internal search logic to prioritise specific domains over generic web crawling.
This adjustment marks a significant move away from the previous reliance on the site: search command by end users. The system now implicitly filters results based on configured domains rather than encouraging manual syntax. Consequently, sources like Reddit appear less frequently in answers despite active user requests. This change alters how businesses and individuals must structure content to appear in AI responses.
* OpenAI obscured the specific system prompt changes.
* Reddit citations dropped significantly after August 18th.
* The new logic functions as search(query, recency, domains).
