Feature
The Gist
- New features. ChatGPT Plus provides web browsing and 70+ third-party plugins.
- Web browsing. The browsing feature allows ChatGPT to retrieve recent online data.
- Plus subscription. Access to these advanced features requires a ChatGPT Plus subscription.
ChatGPT caught everyone’s attention when it debuted in November 2022. While the tool became a great way to draft an email response or debug code, its limitations became clear fast. The biggest being that it couldn’t access data more recent than 2021.
For ChatGPT Plus subscribers, that’s all changed.
Now, all ChatGPT Plus users have access to ChatGPT's web browsing beta feature, along with 70+ other third-party plugins. This version of ChatGPT knows when and how to browse the open internet to find recent data and answer questions.
How to Set up ChatGPT Web Browsing and Plugins Access
Ready to get more out of your chatbot? Tap into the power of AI web browsing by following the steps below.
1. Sign up for ChatGPT Plus
ChatGPT users that want to access the bot's new features will need to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus. To do this, log in to your ChatGPT account and click the "Upgrade to Plus" button in the bottom left corner.
From there, you'll need to enter your payment information and pay a recurring fee of $20/month. Once you make your first payment, you should have immediate access to your new features.
2. Open Your Settings
Beta features are switched off by default. To turn them on, click the three dots next to your username in the bottom left corner. Then, select "Settings."
3. Turn on Beta Features
In the settings menu, click the "Beta features" tab.
From there, click the slider button next to "Web browsing" and "Plugins." This will turn on access to ChatGPT's web browsing and plugins features.
Now it's time to exit the settings and start using ChatGPT's new features.
Related Article: ChatGPT: What You Need to Know
How to Use ChatGPT Web Browsing
ChatGPT web browsing and ChatGPT plugins are separate features. Let's start with how to use the former.
1. Select Your Model & Feature
Start a new chat in ChatGPT. In the top middle of the screen, you have the option to use GPT-3.5 (the version available to free ChatGPT users, though at a faster speed) and the more advanced GPT-4 model.
Hover over the GPT-4 button and the browsing beta option will appear. Click it to select it.
If you want to use the GPT-4 version of ChatGPT without web browsing, you can select the "Default" option.
2. Write Your Prompt
Now you can use ChatGPT like normal. The web browsing feature is best when you have a question or query that requires recent information or data.
For example, you might prompt:
- What's the latest news on [topic/person/event]?
- How did [specific company's] stock perform today?
- What was the score of the [specific team's] game last night?
- What are the reviews for this [movie/book/game]?
- What are the latest discoveries in [specific field of science]?
- What are the recent trends in the job market for [specific industry/profession]?
You can watch ChatGPT in action as it browses the web. It shows what search terms it uses, the links it clicks, indicates if it's reading content, whether a site blocks it, etc.
3. Browse the Results
Instead of having to browse multiple websites to search for answers, ChatGPT does the work for you. It might take a minute or two, but that's just enough time to get a refill on coffee.
The result is information that is accurate, relevant, timely and most importantly, cited. Click on each citation number and you'll be transported to the webpage where ChatGPT found its information.
A Note on the Accuracy of ChatGPT's Web Browsing
It is important to mention that ChatGPT's web browsing tool does not often cite the primary source of the information provided. Instead, it links to vendor or promotional websites that "curate" statistics and content from elsewhere.
The onus is still on ChatGPT users to find the original source of information and verify its accuracy.
Related Article: ChatGPT Is All the Rage but Don't Stop Learning Just Yet
How to Use ChatGPT Plugins
ChatGPT currently offers 70+ plugins to users. These are third-party plugins not developed by OpenAI, but rather by independent developers. However, OpenAI does provide support to plugin developers and plugin users.
If you want to get started with using these third-party plugins, follow the steps below.
1. Select Your Model & Feature
Back to the beginning. Start a new chat and hover over that GPT-4 option at the top. From there, click on the "Plugins" option.
2. Go to the Plugin Store
Now, click the drop-down arrow under the GPT-4 button. A button will appear to access the Plugin store.
Here, you can browse through a list of ChatGPT plugins. If you find one you want to try, click the green "Install" button next to it.
Some popular ChatGPT plugins include:
- Visla: Creates videos with public stock footage.
- DAIZY: Offers insights on EFTS, stocks and cryptos.
- Scraper: Scrapes content from webpages via URLs.
- Public: Gathers real-time and historical market data.
- Code Interpreter Plugin: Interprets code for developers.
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3. Write Your Plugin Prompt
Once you've installed your chosen ChatGPT plugins, exit the plugin store. Your plugins will be on automatically.
I decided to try out the Visla plugin to create a short video from public stock footage. I used this prompt:
"Can you create a short video using public stock footage of a dog walking through a city?"
The results were surprisingly not that bad, especially with only five seconds of work on my part. The video (which you can watch here if you so desire) combines a series of around 10 video clips, AI audio on top that narrates the story and captions.
If I was someone who wanted to create short video content, this tool would offer a solid rough draft with which to start from.
4. Explore More Plugins
A lot of plugins are available in the plugin store (16 pages worth!). The best way to find out which ones are best for your needs is to browse and test. If you don't like something, it's as simple as a quick uninstall.
New plugins are also dropping each day, so check back at the plugin store and look under the "new" tab to see what you might have missed.
Get the Most From ChatGPT Web Browsing & ChatGPT Plugins
We're all learning with ChatGPT, and that's doubly true with access to new web browsing features and plugins. Harnessing these tools can transform our interactions with AI, and open up possibilities that extend beyond the current boundaries of our tech landscape.
