ChatGPT plugins explained

The new and improved ChatGPT - get the inside scoop about this plugin update

Last Updated on

Here, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about ChatGPT plugins.

On March 23, OpenAI launched a new version of ChatGPT which can now access the internet! The new ChatGPT plugins will build upon the chatbot’s current capabilities, dubbed the “eyes and ears” for language models. Since then, there has been a huge buzz around what’s on the horizon – even more so with the OpenAI’s Co-Founder, Greg Brockman, demoing unreleased plugins at Session 2 of TED 2023.

These plugins will feed directly into the bot giving it access to a wide range of knowledge and information from its third-party partners and excitingly, the web.


Essential AI Tools

Editor's pick
EXCLUSIVE DEAL 10,000 free bonus credits

Jasper AI

On-brand AI content wherever you create. 100,000+ customers creating real content with Jasper. One AI tool, all the best models.
Editor's pick
Only $0.01 per 100 words

Originality AI detector

Originality.AI Is The Most Accurate AI Detection.Across a testing data set of 1200 data samples it achieved an accuracy of 96% while its closest competitor achieved only 35%. Useful Chrome extension. Detects across emails, Google Docs, and websites.
Editor's pick
TRY FOR FREE

Copy.ai

Experience the full power of an AI content generator that delivers premium results in seconds. 8 million users enjoy writing blogs 10x faster, effortlessly creating higher converting social media posts or writing more engaging emails. Sign up for a free trial.
TRY FOR FREE

WordAI

10x Your Content Output With AI. Key features - No duplicate content, full control, in built AI content checker. Free trial available.
*Prices are subject to change. PC Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

According to OpenAI, this update will help ChatGPT “access up-to-date information, run computations, and use third-party services”. Without a doubt, this update is incredibly exciting and will take an already powerful model to the next level.

To create these new features, OpenAI has drafted in developers from a waiting list to build dedicated plugins for ChatGPT. The first set of plugins has already been released, which includes the likes of Expedia, Klarna, Slack, Wolfram, OpenTable, Shopify, and more.

OpenAI will also be hosting two of its own plugins – a web browser and a code interpreter. Two features that will enable ChatGPT to not only access the internet but also to execute code.

You can now also get a ChatGPT plugin for outlook. This add-on is not part of OpenAI’s recent update, but if you are interested in making the most of this AI chatbot it is something to look into.

So, if you would like ChatGPT to help you draft a few emails you’ll need to have access to a JavaScript runtime environment, Visual Studio Code and an Office add-in generator. For more information about how to set this up, it is definitely worth checking out Microsoft’s tech community blog post.

ChatGPT plugins list

We’ve now started to see the first plugins enter the stage. These include both third-party plugins and self-hosted plugins from OpenAi too.

  • Expedia
  • FiscalNote
  • Instacart
  • KAYAK
  • Klarna
  • Milo
  • OpenTable
  • Shopify
  • Slack
  • Speak
  • Wolfram
  • Zapier

ChatGPT also have two self-hosted plugins:

  • Web browser
  • Code Interpreter

We expect this list to grow in the near future, so be sure to check back with us for the latest developments.

How does ChatGPT plugin work?

So, how do these plugins work? Just by watching OpenAI’s demo video, it looks as though you will have to install the specific plugins you would like ChatGPT to use.

These plugins will feed simultaneously into ChatGPT’s functionality, so when you ask the bot a question, ChatGPT will automatically take advantage of these tools.

For example, if you are looking for a dinner reservation, the bot will pull up the OpenTable plugin to suggest you a restaurant that you can book.

At the moment, to gain alpha access OpenAI has opened up a ChatGPT plugin waitlist. They will only be prioritizing developers and ChatGPT Plus users though, before releasing it to the wider public.

Does ChatGPT have access to the internet?

Recently, yes! ChatGPT does have access to the internet. Thanks to OpenAI’s plugin update, ChatGPT now has a first-party web-browsing plugin.

Previously, this AI chatbot only had knowledge of events up to September 2021. But, with this new update, ChatGPT can now access information from the web using the Bing API.

Final Thoughts

So, that’s all for now! ChatGPT plugins are yet another exciting development in ChatGPT’s capabilities and we’re interested to see what else could arrive in the near future for the platform.