OpenAI has announced that its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, can now search the web to provide users with current and authoritative information. This feature allows ChatGPT to browse the internet and return up-to-date answers with direct links to sources. Previously, this functionality was briefly available earlier this year before being removed due to users exploiting it to access paid content for free. OpenAI has now addressed this issue and restored the web-browsing capability of ChatGPT.
ChatGPT utilizes Bing as its search engine, which is not surprising considering the close collaboration between Microsoft and OpenAI. OpenAI suggests that this feature is particularly useful for tasks that require the latest information, such as vacation planning or technical research. However, the web-browsing functionality is currently only available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers and enterprise users, with access for other users coming soon.
While the AI assistant can provide up-to-date information from the web, its performance is dependent on Bing’s search results. Therefore, for topics where Bing lacks information, ChatGPT may direct users to relevant websites instead of providing direct answers. OpenAI has labeled this feature as beta, implying that further refinements and improvements can be expected in the future.
In conclusion, OpenAI has reintroduced the web-browsing capability to ChatGPT, allowing users to access current and authoritative information with direct links to sources. While the feature was temporarily removed due to misuse, OpenAI has made adjustments to prevent the exploitation of paid content. This functionality is currently available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers and enterprise users, with wider availability expected in the near future.