Plugins ChatGPT: gets a Boost with OpenAI’s Web Navigation Capability.
Plugins into its chatbot: ChatGPT is adding new features to its repertoire. Implementation of ChatGPT’s capabilities is set to expand significantly with the implementation of new plugins by OpenAI. This will allow the chatbot to access updated data from the web officially, a capability that was previously only available through third-party plugins. Before this update, ChatGPT had limitations that restricted it to only extracting information from its training data, which was confined to the year 2021.
CHATGPT TO ACCESS EXTERNAL WEBSITES
According to OpenAI, plugins will not only allow for the use of real-time data from the internet but also enable direct interaction with certain websites. This potentially turns ChatGPT into an extended interface for all types of services, as OpenAI has described it as “the eyes and ears” of ChatGPT.
The CEO of OpenAI, Greg Brockman, utilized ChatGPT in a video to search for a recipe and place an order for all the required ingredients from Instacart. Essentially, ChatGPT automatically extracts the ingredient list and loads them into the user’s shopping cart, redirecting the user to the website to complete the order.
As with any new feature, plugins will not be immediately available to everyone. At first, the monthly subscription version of ChatGPT will only reserve them for a “limited group of users”. These users will have to sign up on a waiting list.
The first testing phase involves a limited number of plugins for external websites, initially 11 including Expedia, OpenTable, Kayak, Klarna Shopping, and Zapier. In addition to these, OpenAI has also created a plugin for interpreting code and another for retrieving updated information from the internet.
Unlike Microsoft’s Bing, which can retrieve real-time information, OpenAI’s plugin can connect to APIs to perform actions “on behalf of the user,” potentially increasing its capabilities. For example, while Bing could assist in choosing a restaurant, ChatGPT could also book it.
CONCERNS ARISE
As always, concerns arise regarding user privacy and security. The user could potentially experience security breaches due to the increased ability of ChatGPT to perform actions on their behalf.
In response, OpenAI has stated that it has taken the dangers of these plugins into account and has implemented “several protections” to limit risky plugin behavior and improve transparency on how and when they operate as part of the user experience. The text-based web browser plugin limits itself to making GET requests, which reduces some security risks but does not eliminate them entirely.
