OpenAI · Search indexer
OAI-SearchBot
OAI-SearchBot is the crawler that indexes pages so they can be surfaced and cited inside ChatGPT's search results. It is separate from GPTBot: OAI-SearchBot is about discovery and citation, not model training. If you want to be cited by ChatGPT search, allow OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt — blocking it removes you from ChatGPT's search index.
Last updated
- User-agent token
- OAI-SearchBot
- Operator
- OpenAI
- Feeds
- ChatGPT search citations
- robots.txt
- Unverified
How to control OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt
Edit the robots.txt file at the root of your domain (for example https://example.com/robots.txt), add one of the groups below, then save and re-deploy.
Remember: a named User-agent: OAI-SearchBot group overrides your global User-agent: * rules, so repeat any private Disallow paths inside it.
Allow OAI-SearchBot (recommended for AI visibility)
# Welcome OAI-SearchBot, but keep private areas blocked.
# A named user-agent group overrides "User-agent: *", so repeat
# your own private Disallow rules inside this group.
User-agent: OAI-SearchBot
Allow: /
Disallow: /admin/
Disallow: /account/
Disallow: /cart/
Disallow: /checkout/Block OAI-SearchBot
# Block OAI-SearchBot from the entire site.
User-agent: OAI-SearchBot
Disallow: /FAQ
Should I allow OAI-SearchBot?
If being cited inside ChatGPT's answers matters to you, yes. OAI-SearchBot indexing is what makes your pages eligible to appear as a linked source in ChatGPT search.
Is OAI-SearchBot the same as GPTBot?
No. GPTBot collects training data; OAI-SearchBot builds the search index ChatGPT cites from. You can allow one and block the other.
Is your site visible to AI crawlers?
Run a free AI-visibility audit to see which AI crawlers can reach your content and how often you get cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overviews.
Run a free auditPart of the Cite Hustle AI crawler directory. For the full framework on AI search visibility, read the GEO methodology.