ChatGPT Can Now Browse the Internet for Real-Time Information

(SPOT.ph) Good news, ChatGPT users: The OpenAI revolutionary will have access to real-time information from the web (with direct links to sources) real soon, breaking previous limitations to information until September 2021.

This real-time feature used to be exclusive to paying customers. Even then, ChatGPT Plus users had to download and enable third-party browser plugins within the chat to access the Internet. Now it's much simpler with the new "Browse with Bing" feature.

Web searches and results in ChatGPT’s new feature will only come from Bing, the search engine by Microsoft, also a key backer of OpenAI.

“ChatGPT can now browse the Internet to provide you with current and authoritative information, complete with direct links to sources. It is no longer limited to data before September 2021,” OpenAI said in a tweet.

Also read: The SPOT.ph Guide to Using ChatGPT for Free

How to access real-time information in ChatGPT

Free ChatGPT users know all too well that asking for updated information from the AI chatbot will only lead to this response: “I don’t have real-time updates, and my knowledge is based on information available up until September 2021. If there have been developments or changes in information or events after that date, I would not be aware of them. Please feel free to ask questions, and I’ll do my best to provide information based on my last knowledge update.” 

As mentioned, things are about to change very soon with the new browsing feature. "Browse with Bing" is now available to ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise users, but it will be expanding to all users soon, according to OpenAI.

To enable, simply choose "Browse with Bing" in the selector under GPT-4.

Also read: Is It Ethical for Students to Use ChatGPT? We Ask a University Professor