Can ChatGPT Plus Search the Web?
If you’re here asking the question, “Can ChatGPT Plus search the web?”, you’re not alone. A lot of people seem interested in what this popular AI tool can do, and whether it can help them access fresh, up-to-date content in a simple way. The answer to your query isn’t straightforward, and we’ll dive into the specifics shortly. But the crux of the matter is that, yes, ChatGPT Plus has introduced a browsing capability called “Browse with Bing.” However, this feature has a long way to go before it can truly live up to the expectations of its users. Buckle up; we’re going to explore what this means, the benefits of using it, and what shortcomings it still has.
A Quick Overview of ChatGPT Plus’s Browsing Capability
Last week, OpenAI made waves with its announcement that ChatGPT could now access the web, allowing it to provide insights on current data. Up to this point, the AI’s knowledge base had been limited to information prior to September 2021 or, in the case of GPT-4, before January 2022. But before you get too excited, this new capability is not just any garden-variety browsing; it’s a selective service only available to paying ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise customers.
So, what’s the deal? OpenAI has put a beta option out there called Browse with Bing. But, spoiler alert: it comes with a series of limitations that make the experience frustrating for users who are hoping for something groundbreaking. In the upcoming sections, we will peel away the layers surrounding this functionality, examining how it operates and its performance compared to established plugins that do a similar job.
How to Enable Browse with Bing
Let’s start with how you can actually get this browsing feature working. First thing’s first: you have to be a ChatGPT Plus subscriber. Once you’re in, navigate to the Settings menu. From there, look for an option titled Beta Features. This is where you’ll find the toggle to enable Browse with Bing. Just remember that you can only activate one feature at a time: Browse with Bing, Advanced Data Analysis, or plugins. If you fancy switching it up, get comfortable with the idea of starting an entirely new session each time.
On the surface, enabling Browse with Bing sounds simple. However, the entire setup feels more like a tedious dance than a smooth waltz. It’s suboptimal to have to jump between sessions, but for the curious minds willing to navigate these hoops, the rewards might just be worth it. But be warned, that’s a big « might. »
What Exactly is Browse with Bing Doing?
When you flip on the Browse with Bing feature, your experiences might feel exciting at first, but you may quickly encounter a barrage of questions about its functionality. What is it actually doing? Both Microsoft and OpenAI have been surprisingly quiet about the specifics of this browsing feature, which only adds to the sense of mystery.
To put it plainly, for ChatGPT to effectively have web access, it needs to do two key things: search and retrieve. This involves creating a search string from your query, passing it through a web index that’s crawled by Bing, and then using the resultant links to generate responses based on the content of those pages.
Ah, but it gets a tad murky here. While browsing with Bing does provide you current data, it also seems to have an air of clumsiness around its notifications. When you perform a search, you might see messages like « Clicking on www.zdnet.com » or « scrolling page » as if an actual mouse were at play. It’s a peculiar attempt at bringing a sense of transparency to the user experience—one that sacrifices clarity for an odd attempt at ‘personification.’ This digital anthropomorphism doesn’t quite serve the purpose and can instead confuse users about what’s really happening behind the scenes.
Browse with Bing vs WebPilot
For some time now, savvy users of ChatGPT Plus have sought external plugins to enrich their browsing capabilities. One plugin that’s gained traction is WebPilot, which has been quite effective for various current web information searches. At first, I was drawn to another plugin, MixerBox WebSearchG, but found it to be erratic and often unreliable. WebPilot, by comparison, has served me well.
So, how does Inside-Bing compare to this established plugin? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t live up to the hype. For a clear picture, consider this: I conducted a series of tests directly comparing Browse with Bing against WebPilot. Since you cannot run both at the same time, each test was executed in separate sessions. The results were quite telling!
Test 1: Finding an Article Reference
In one of my earlier articles summarizing “Google storage” where I used the term « infraquake, » I was curious if either tool could pull that reference based on the prompt: “What does Gewirtz mean by infraquake?” My first go with Browse with Bing left me scratching my head—it didn’t produce anything meaningful. On the flip-side, when I deployed WebPilot, it zeroed in with swift accuracy.
Though later on, when I tried again with Browse with Bing, it finally managed to find both articles regarding infraquake. However, it only provided one source citation from its findings even when it discussed two articles! Say what?! So, while it did deliver on some level, the inconsistency here illustrates that browsing with Bing is still in its infancy.
Test 2: Comparing Writing Contexts
Next, I wanted to explore both my own work and that of my colleague, Sabrina Ortiz, who covers AI from a different angle on ZDNET. I queried both tools to see if they could analyze our respective writing styles and produce a comparative overview of our articles. The disparity in performance was stark between the two. WebPilot not only provided a complete profile but also offered recent article mentions and even a comparative analysis of our writing styles. Meanwhile, Browse with Bing fell flat, failing to recognize either of us.
Test 3: Briefing on Current News
Switching gears, I wanted an update on the settlement of the WGA writers’ strike. I prompted both tools to provide a complete briefing. While Browse with Bing produced some information, it paled compared to the exhaustive response generated by WebPilot. Even when I asked it to describe the details of the final agreement, the response from Browse with Bing was truncated while WebPilot delved into the nitty-gritty.
What Does It All Mean?
In short, while Browse with Bing is a step in the right direction for ChatGPT, it remains a disappointing experience overall. For anyone seeking reliable web search functionality, there’s good news: WebPilot bridges all those reliable gaps that you’d expect from a browsing tool. It’s as if ChatGPT’s browsing capability is a half-baked attempt at functionality instead of the fully fleshed-out solution it was touted to be.
Maybe this browsing feature is still in its beta phase, and it holds promise for improvements down the line. Or perhaps it suffers from internal complications typical in corporate environments—too many meetings, too many compromises. Whatever the underlying issues are, the current iteration is far from magnificent.
If you’re a ChatGPT Plus user eagerly looking for quality web-search functionality, I would recommend giving Browse with Bing a pass for now. Stick with established plugins like WebPilot, which delivers on expectations and allows you to dive deeper into the content pool while saving time and energy. In the realm of AI tools and technology, ChatGPT is revolutionary, and its advanced data analysis capabilities are game-changing. But until Browse with Bing steps up its game, it’s just a mildly interesting tool to summarize content, and maybe—just maybe—it might get better in the future.
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