OpenAI adds plugin support to ChatGPT

(Representative Image)

OpenAI has introduced plugin support for its popular online chatbot ChatGPT that will help it to update and expand its data banks, which are limited to news and events up to 2021.

Plugins will allow developers to connect the artificial intelligence (AI) bot to the web, gather latest information and even retrieve knowledge databases.

The initial plugin rollout will include support for web browsers, data retrieval and the ability to connect online to gather data, which is important because ChatGPT's data banks don't have information on news and other events beyond 2021.

we are starting our rollout of ChatGPT plugins.

you can install plugins to help with a wide variety of tasks. we are excited to see what developers create!https://t.co/NQ684Yp2LKpic.twitter.com/m7b6vJrj5D — Sam Altman (@sama) March 23, 2023

In a blog post, the company said that it was rolling out support to a small number of users at first and would gradually increase availability.

The first plugins to support the platform have been developed by "Expedia, FiscalNote, Instacart, KAYAK, Klarna, Milo, OpenTable, Shopify, Slack, Speak, Wolfram, and Zapier".

OpenAI said that this was in line with their "iterative deployment philosophy" so that they could study "their real-world use, impact, and safety and alignment challenges".

Interested developers can sign up for a waitlist and the company also has full documentation available so that they can start building plugins for ChatGPT.