OpenAI had previously added the browsing feature to its ChatGPT iOS app in June, but quickly removed it after users found a way to access paywalled content by feeding a URL directly to the chatbot. Since then, OpenAI's automated crawler has started identifying itself with a user agent, allowing sites to opt out of its analysis by updating their Robots.txt file. To use the Browse with Bing feature, subscribers need to enable it in their profile settings and select it under GPT-4.
Key takeaways:
- OpenAI has reintroduced the ability for ChatGPT to search the web for current information, citing its sources in its responses. This feature, known as Browse with Bing, is currently only available to Plus and Enterprise subscribers.
- Microsoft’s Bing Chat and Google’s Bard already have similar capabilities, and Meta has announced plans to use Bing for real-time web results in its AI Assistant for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger.
- ChatGPT's Browse with Bing feature can be a bit slow and confusing to use, but it allows users to verify the sources of the information provided by the AI.
- OpenAI had previously removed the browsing feature from its ChatGPT iOS app after users found a way to access paywalled content. The company has since implemented measures to prevent this from happening again.