ChatGPT Got Internet Access!

#news #ai #chatgpt #webdev

In a significant update, OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT now has the ability to browse the internet. This means that the AI can provide users with current information, which is a significant step up from its previous capabilities.

In essence, you can now ask ChatGPT about the latest happenings around the world, and it can retrieve this information in real-time.

Until now, ChatGPT relied on a vast dataset up to September 2021 to respond to user queries. For those unfamiliar, this limitation meant that while ChatGPT was highly knowledgeable, it had a finite scope, constrained to data available until that month. The most recent breakthrough, however, breaks this boundary, and the implications are vast.

For premium users, this is especially valuable. They can now inquire about current affairs, access up-to-date news, or get insights into any fresh online content. This not only enhances the overall user experience but also positions ChatGPT as a formidable contender to traditional search engines.

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How to Enable Browsing with ChatGPT

OpenAI has made it relatively straightforward for users to harness this new feature. If you are a Plus or Enterprise user, the browsing functionality is immediately available.

Follow the below steps to activate internet browsing feature in ChatGPT.

Step 1:-

Step 2:-

In the left sidebar, click on your Name and then select "Settings & Beta".

Step 3:-

From the popup box, select "Beta features" and then enable the "Browse with Bing" option.

Step 4:-

Finally, to use web browsing feature in ChatGPT, hover your mouse cursor over "GPT-4" and then select "Browse with Bing".

ChatGPT Web Browsing Output

Beyond Textual Responses: Voice and Image Interaction

In the same vein of expansion and bettering user experience, ChatGPT will soon be taking another leap forward. Apart from the internet browsing capabilities, OpenAI also hinted at the chatbot's ability to engage in voice conversations with users. This moves ChatGPT closer to the realm of popular AI assistants, like Apple's Siri.

Moreover, the potential of ChatGPT to interact using images, and its collaboration with the image generation model, DALL-E 3, underscores the broadened horizons for user-chatbot interactions.

Safety and Ethical Considerations

While the integration of internet browsing within ChatGPT opens up a world of possibilities, it's not devoid of concerns. The initial hesitation in integrating real-time web browsing was twofold: potential inaccuracies and ethical concerns.

Inaccuracies: Real-time data introduces the possibility of the AI pulling misinformation, which could mislead users.

Ethical Issues: The aspect of accessing copyrighted content without permission and the potential misuse of real-time information were considerable concerns.

Additionally, there was the challenge of users bypassing paywalls of leading news publishers, which led to OpenAI temporarily disabling the feature. Now, with its reintroduction, it's clear that certain sites, especially those behind paywalls, are excluded. This decision adheres to the "robots.txt" code, ensuring that only permissible content is accessed.

Furthermore, the potential of ChatGPT regurgitating harmful or illegal material freshly uploaded to the internet posed a significant risk. The safeguard against this was the limited data ChatGPT initially had access to.

However, OpenAI is fully aware of these challenges. Their commitment to ensuring the AI's ethical use is evident in their interactions with regulators, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), ensuring that user trust and safety remain paramount.

Conclusion: The Future of Chatbots and AI

The new functionalities within ChatGPT illustrate the vast potential and challenges facing the AI sector. As chatbots like ChatGPT continue to break barriers, they must also tread carefully, ensuring that the technology remains beneficial without becoming a tool for misinformation or misuse.

ChatGPT's integration with the internet is just a hint of what the future holds. As users, it's an exciting time to witness these advancements while also being discerning and critical of the information we access.

As AI continues to grow and transform, one thing remains certain: tools like ChatGPT, with their ever-expanding capabilities, will significantly reshape how we seek and consume information in the digital age.