Select partners such as Expedia, FiscalNote, Instacart, Kayak, Klarna, Milo, OpenTable, Shopify, Slack, Speak, Wolfram, and Zapier are currently testing OpenAI’s new web integration for ChatGPT.
This expansion allows the AI to access portions of the internet, making tasks like shopping and trip planning more convenient. The plugins enable users to obtain information without the need to access various websites for research. OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT will become even more powerful with these new capabilities.
These are data-intensive businesses, some of which provide travel planning, shopping, information gathering, and schedule organization services to millions of users. Using AI to streamline these processes and facilitate user interaction has evident advantages.
OpenAI showcased the expanded capabilities of ChatGPT by demonstrating how it can simplify tasks like finding vegan recipes and restaurants in San Francisco without the need to access various websites for research.
ChatGPT: Your Personal Vegan Chef and Tour Guide
During the demonstration, ChatGPT utilized plugins from WolframAlpha, OpenTable, and Instacart, which were installed from a plugin store. When asked for a vegan recipe, ChatGPT quickly responded by providing the ingredients for a chickpea salad, along with the calories for each item, automatically scaled to the correct portion size. It even prepared an order for the ingredients on Instacart, including a promotional message offering free delivery.
Next, ChatGPT provided a link to make a reservation on OpenTable for a vegan restaurant in San Francisco. When it comes time to place an order or book a reservation, users will be directed to each company’s website. This integration could simplify tasks like shopping and planning trips.
OpenAI shared the demonstration video on Twitter, showcasing how ChatGPT can access the internet and utilize plugins to provide personalized and efficient assistance. The demonstration also highlighted ChatGPT’s ability to understand user preferences and make recommendations accordingly.
We are adding support for plugins to ChatGPT — extensions which integrate it with third-party services or allow it to access up-to-date information. We’re starting small to study real-world use, impact, and safety and alignment challenges: https://t.co/A9epaBBBzx pic.twitter.com/KS5jcFoNhf
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) March 23, 2023
OpenAI’s blog post emphasizes the importance of safety and alignment when using AI for business. ChatGPT’s new plugins that provide access to the internet will have a double-check system to ensure the trustworthiness of results due to ongoing issues of AI confusion.
OpenAI will also be testing two of its own plugins, Browsing, and Code interpreter, alongside partner plugins. With Browsing, ChatGPT will be able to directly access the internet using Bing for searching and a text browser for collecting information from web pages, similar to Bing Chat.
Taking the AI Game to the Next Level (with a Double-Check System)
On the other hand, the Code interpreter will enable ChatGPT to run Python code in a tightly controlled sandboxed and firewalled execution environment. This allows for more accurate and complex calculations based on traditional computer code.
OpenAI acknowledges the risks that come with this huge expansion of ChatGPT’s capabilities and is proceeding with caution. The timeline for rolling out ChatGPT plugins will depend on how well it performs during initial tests.
A select few ChatGPT-Plus users will gain access to the plugins during testing, while a waitlist is in place for others to request access. Eventually, ChatGPT plugins will be rolled out to more companies and users.
