# What is OAI-SearchBot?

> OAI-SearchBot is OpenAI's crawler for ChatGPT search. If a hotel blocks it, the hotel can drop out of ChatGPT's answers and citations.

_UK and US · Updated 2026-10-27 · Akkrev, https://akkrev.com/glossary/oai-searchbot/_

**OAI-SearchBot** is the crawler OpenAI uses to build the index behind ChatGPT search. When ChatGPT answers "where should I stay in York?" with named hotels and links, those links come from pages OAI-SearchBot could read.

## What blocking it does

If a hotel's [robots.txt](https://akkrev.com/glossary/robots-txt/) or security settings block OAI-SearchBot, ChatGPT has less to go on: it may skip the hotel, or describe it from third-party listings and send guests to an [online travel agency](https://akkrev.com/glossary/online-travel-agency/). Changes to robots.txt can take around a day to affect ChatGPT search.

## OAI-SearchBot versus GPTBot

[GPTBot](https://akkrev.com/glossary/gptbot/) collects training data. OAI-SearchBot powers search. They're controlled separately, so a hotel can opt out of training while staying visible in ChatGPT.

## Tracking the results

ChatGPT adds `utm_source=chatgpt.com` to links it sends, so visits from ChatGPT show up in analytics as their own source.

## Why it matters for AI visibility

OAI-SearchBot is what ChatGPT search uses to find pages. Blocking it can keep your site out of ChatGPT's answers.

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