Why is the Chatgpt UI websearch more accurate than the API websearch tool

API
1

Hi,

I’m trying to figure out why a lot of things work in the GPT UI 4o web search but not in the API version, is the api version using a older model and isn’t efficient as the one in the UI and we have to wait for it to get better in the API? I want to know if this is the case or if i have to something extra for websearch to work well in the api.

Here’s an example prompt to try in the UI and in the API:

Prompt: Find me the linkedin profile url of jim hisatomi from ABI insurance

Playground 4.1 Websearch at high search context:

Find me the linkedin profile url of jim hisatomi from ABI insurance
Searched the web

I couldn’t locate a LinkedIn profile for Jim Hisatomi, the Owner and President of ABI Insurance. However, you can reach him directly via email at [***** @abipdx.com](mailto:***** @abipdx.com) or by phone at (503) 292-***** (masking it but it actually gave the email and number)

Chatgpt UI web search 4.0 response:
You can find Jim Hisatomi’s LinkedIn profile at the following URL: *****

Here’s my API code :

import OpenAI from "openai";

const openai = new OpenAI({
  apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY,
});

const response = await openai.responses.create({
  model: "gpt-4.1",
  input: [
    {
      "role": "system",
      "content": [
        {
          "type": "input_text",
          "text": "The users prompt might not be perfect, but your a powerful websearch model which can figure out answers to any question, go deep and try to figure out answers"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "role": "user",
      "content": [
        {
          "type": "input_text",
          "text": "Find me the linkedin profile url of jim hisatomi from ABI insurance"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "ws_681dc459ad188191b3b2126aadcd2ed9066bb41846f7a7ab",
      "type": "web_search_call",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "id": "msg_681dc45bfb4c81919fb54052b0101507066bb41846f7a7ab",
      "role": "assistant",
      "content": [
        {
          "type": "output_text",
          "text": "I couldn't locate a LinkedIn profile for Jim Hisatomi, the Owner and President of ABI Insurance. However, you can reach him directly via email at jimhisatomi@abipdx.com or by phone at (503) 292-1580. For more information, you can visit his profile on the company's website: ([abipdx.com](https://abipdx.com/james-j-hisatomi/?utm_source=openai)). "
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  text: {
    "format": {
      "type": "text"
    }
  },
  reasoning: {},
  tools: [
    {
      "type": "web_search_preview",
      "user_location": {
        "type": "approximate"
      },
      "search_context_size": "high"
    }
  ],
  temperature: 1,
  max_output_tokens: 2048,
  top_p: 1,
  store: true
});

Any thoughts?

2

Observations have been that ChatGPT has access to more websites than the API. Probably for contractual reasons.