OpenAI Announces Internet Browsing Feature for ChatGPT Users, Reports Reuters

ChatGPT users will now have the ability to browse the web, as announced by Microsoft-backed OpenAI on Wednesday. This feature expands the chatbot’s data access beyond its previous September 2021 cutoff.

The startup revealed that the new browsing capability would allow websites to manage how ChatGPT interacts with them. “Browsing is available to Plus and Enterprise users today, with plans to expand to all users soon. To enable it, select ‘Browse with Bing’ under GPT-4,” OpenAI shared on a social media platform.

Earlier this week, OpenAI also introduced a significant update that enables ChatGPT to engage in voice conversations and interact with users through images, bringing it closer to established AI assistants like Siri.

Previously, OpenAI had tested a feature that allowed users to access up-to-date information via the Bing search engine within its premium ChatGPT Plus service. However, it was later disabled due to concerns that it might let users sidestep paywalls.

ChatGPT became the fastest-growing consumer application in history earlier this year, achieving 100 million monthly active users in January, only to be later surpassed by Meta’s Threads app.

The chatbot’s rapid rise has sparked increased investor interest in OpenAI. Reports surfaced recently indicating that the startup is in discussions with shareholders regarding a potential sale of existing shares at a significantly higher valuation than just a few months prior.