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What is GPTBot?

Updated By Akkrev

GPTBot is OpenAI's web crawler that collects pages that may be used to train its models. It's separate from OAI-SearchBot, which powers ChatGPT search.

GPTBot is the crawler OpenAI uses to gather web content that may be used to train future models. It identifies itself with “GPTBot” in its user agent, follows robots.txt, and OpenAI publishes its IP ranges so sites can verify real visits.

OpenAI runs separate bots:

  • GPTBot for training.
  • OAI-SearchBot for the index behind ChatGPT search results and citations.
  • ChatGPT-User for pages fetched live because a user asked.

A hotel can block GPTBot and still appear in ChatGPT search, as long as OAI-SearchBot is allowed. The reverse mistake, blocking OAI-SearchBot while meaning to block training, can quietly remove a hotel from ChatGPT answers.

Should hotels allow it?

That’s a business choice. Allowing it means future models may know more about the hotel. Blocking it has no effect on today’s ChatGPT search results.

Why it matters for AI visibility

GPTBot gathers data for OpenAI’s models. OAI-SearchBot powers ChatGPT search. Know which one you’re blocking before you block.

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