ChatGPT networking from next week, while supporting 70+ third-party plugins

May 13, 2023 - OpenAI has announced that a Beta version will be available to all ChatGPT Plus users next week. Beta version ChatGPT supports networking and over 70 third-party plugins.

Beta ChatGPT feature preview. Image source: OpenAI

Previously, OpenAI launched ChatGPT plug-in feature on March 24, Beijing time, and opened up two plug-ins: web browser and code interpreter. This also means that ChatGPT makes up for the shortage of timeliness and gives ChatGPT's database the ability to update automatically.

The code interpreter, meanwhile, is able to perform tasks such as mathematical problems, data analysis, visualization and file format conversion, enabling ChatGPT to use Python and handle upload and download tasks in a sandbox environment.

Currently, ChatGPT is open to 11 platform plugins published by 12 third parties, including Expedia, a smart travel assistant, FiscalNote, a smart financial note assistant, and Instacart, a smart shopping assistant.

Current third-party plug-ins supported by ChatGPT. Image source: OpenAI

The other side of the growing maturity of the smart application ecosystem is the pressure from the program and startups of the same direction. For OpenAI's partner and angel investor Microsoft, the connected ChatGPT may also put some pressure on Bing.

For several months, Microsoft has also been on a full-speed rampage on the AI track. During the 2023 Q1 earnings call in late April, Microsoft Chairman and CEO SatyaNadella mentioned that users can really choose the business model and way ChatGPT is supported by Azure entry points through Bing, Edge, Windows and OpenAI, "We look forward to being in the largest software category - search - in the generational shift that continues this journey."

Immediately following on May 5, Microsoft's search engine Bing removed its waitlist and officially opened its preview mode. At the same time, users will also be able to experience the AI intelligent assistant Copilot on the web side again.

For OpenAI, the competition is increasingly entering the white-hot stage AI track, which also forces it to continuously iterate. Microsoft's biggest rival in the AI track, Google, also launched the big model PaLM 2 on May 11, and fully connected the big language model Bard to Google search, while the Android system has been intelligently changed - Google's comprehensive embrace of AI has added more and more uncertainties to the competitive landscape of the AI track. Google's full embrace of AI has added more and more uncertainties to the competitive landscape of the AI track.

At the same time, OpenAI officials acknowledge that connecting language models to external tools brings new opportunities, but also significant new risks: "Plugins can take harmful or unintentional actions that increase the ability of unscrupulous individuals to defraud, mislead, or abuse others, thereby increasing security challenges."

On May 16 at 10 a.m. ET, OpenAI founder & CEO Sam Altman will participate in a hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law regarding AI security under questioning by lawmakers. AI regulation is on the agenda.