Short answer
ChatGPT search uses OpenAI's OAI-SearchBot crawler and may work with search partners. Sites that block OAI-SearchBot won't appear in ChatGPT search answers, though they may still appear as navigational links. GPTBot, which collects training data, is separate: blocking it doesn't remove you from search.
OpenAI's crawlers
| User agent | Purpose | Blocking it means |
|---|---|---|
| OAI-SearchBot | Search features in ChatGPT | Not shown in search answers |
| GPTBot | Training foundation models | Content not used for training |
| ChatGPT-User | Visits a page when a user or GPT asks | User-initiated, robots.txt may not apply |
| OAI-AdsBot | Checks ad landing pages | Ads can't be reviewed |
Timing
OpenAI says robots.txt changes for OAI-SearchBot take about 24 hours to take effect.
Questions
Does Bing indexing matter?
ChatGPT search can use partner search providers, so being indexed in Bing covers that route and also helps in Copilot.
Facts checked against the sources below on 12 October 2026. Platforms change quickly: if something here no longer matches what you see, tell us and we will update it.
