ChatGPT Gets New Browsing Mode In ChatGPT Plus!

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A new alpha feature has appeared in ChatGPT Plus!  Browsing mode, which you can see in the screenshot.  I asked GPT-4 to explain the new mode:

In the new browsing mode, ChatGPT has the ability to use a simplified web browser tool to access information from the internet. The browsing mode allows ChatGPT to issue search queries to a search engine, read the search results, click on links to view full webpages, store useful information by quoting relevant text spans, and navigate through web content. The tool is “read-only,” meaning that it can pull in information from the web, but it cannot perform “transactional” operations such as submitting forms on webpages.

The following functions are available to ChatGPT in browsing mode:

  • search(query: str, recency_days: int): Allows ChatGPT to issue a search query to a search engine. The search results are displayed, and ChatGPT can view the snippets provided for each result. The recency_days parameter can be used to limit the search to recent content.
  • click(id: str): Allows ChatGPT to click on a link within the displayed search results. The ID within the displayed results maps to a URL. This function opens the webpage and displays its content to ChatGPT.
  • quote(start: str, end: str): Allows ChatGPT to store a specific span of text from an open webpage for future reference. The text span is specified using a starting substring and an ending substring. Stored quotes can be cited in responses to users.
  • back(): Allows ChatGPT to return to the previous page or search results page that it was viewing.
  • scroll(amt: int): Allows ChatGPT to scroll up or down within an open webpage. The scrolling amount can be specified as a positive or negative integer.
  • open_url(url: str): Allows ChatGPT to directly open a specific URL and view its content.

ChatGPT can use these functions to access up-to-date information, conduct research, and provide users with accurate and current responses. The browsing mode enhances ChatGPT’s capabilities by allowing it to access information beyond its knowledge cutoff date.