OpenAI announced on Tuesday that ChatGPT subscribers using the premium version can now browse the web, using a new feature called Browsing.
Available for mobile users for now, the new feature enables ChatGPT to search Bing for answers to queries.
According to OpenAI, Plus users now can access extensive information and up-to-date insights on various topics beyond the model’s initial training data. To experience this feature, users are required to enable Browsing in the “new features” section of their app settings. Then, select GPT-4 in the model switcher and opt for “Browse with Bing” from the available drop-down menu.
“Improved search history functionality allows you to directly access specific points in the conversation by tapping on relevant search results,” the company said.
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Browsing is available on both the iOS and Android ChatGPT apps.
According to OpenAI, Browsing proves to be highly valuable for inquiries concerning current events and other information that goes beyond the original training data of ChatGPT. When Browsing is disabled, ChatGPT’s knowledge is limited up until 2021.
OpenAI has been expanding its scope of service since it launched ChatGPT late last year, introducing new features as adoption widens. Since the launch of GPT 4, the company’s premium version, more features have been introduced to improve user experience.
Features like shared link, Shared Links which allows users to create and share ChatGPT conversations with others, web browsing, and Plugins – including third-party plugins, have been rolled out.
As reported by TechCrunch, the addition of Browsing to ChatGPT, initially available on the web and announced by Microsoft and OpenAI, significantly enhances its usefulness as an assistant, especially for research purposes. Previously, asking ChatGPT questions such as “Who won the 2023 March Madness women’s tournament?” wouldn’t yield accurate or valuable results. However, with the introduction of Browsing, ChatGPT can now provide more relevant and correct information in response to such queries.
But TechCrunch raised concerns about OpenAI’s decision to limit ChatGPT’s browsing capabilities exclusively to Bing, describing it as a move that falls short of user-friendly practices. While the partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft, which has made significant investments in OpenAI, explains the business motivations behind this choice, relying solely on Bing as the search engine is not ideal, as it may not provide the most comprehensive search results.
In the past, there have been observations suggesting that Bing may have favored Microsoft-related results over Google links, raising questions about potential biases. Furthermore, a recent Stanford study highlighted the presence of a concerning amount of disinformation in Bing’s top search results.
While Microsoft continues to work on enhancing Bing’s algorithms, the issue with ChatGPT’s Browsing feature is that if Bing encounters any shortcomings, users won’t have alternative search engine options to rely on.
In other less controversial news regarding the ChatGPT app, OpenAI announced that users can now directly access specific points in the conversation by tapping on search results. This improvement, along with the introduction of Browsing, will be rolled out during the current week, according to OpenAI’s statement.