Web search
Let the AI look up live information from the internet.
By default the AI answers from what it learned during training — which has a cutoff date and knows nothing about your specific situation. Web search lets it look things up live before replying.
Turn it on
What happens when search is on
- The AI turns your prompt into one or more search queries.
- It searches the web and fetches the top results.
- It picks the most relevant snippets.
- It writes its answer using them, with inline citations linking back to each source.
You'll see the citations as small numbered links — hover one to see the snippet it came from.
When to use it
Web search shines for:
- Latest news, prices, events — anything newer than the model's training data.
- Specific facts — exact dates, current versions, live stats.
- Citations — when you want links backing up the answer.
It's less useful for brainstorming, creative writing, pure math/code, or when you already pasted the source material into your prompt.
Tips for better results
- Be specific — "Compare the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra on 2025 camera reviews" beats "which phone is better?".
- Ask for citations — "with sources" or "cite each claim".
- Drill in — "Read source [2] more carefully — what does it say about battery life?"
Privacy
Whatever the AI needs to look up becomes part of a search query, which leaves NUFI for the search provider. Don't put confidential content into a search-enabled prompt — turn search off for those.
If Web Search isn't in the menu
Your organisation hasn't connected a search provider. Ask your admin to enable it.
Cost
Search-augmented replies cost a little more — extra fetches plus a longer prompt. You'll see it on the Usage page if you query a lot; for most people it stays well within budget.