ChatGPT has rapidly gained popularity due to its impressive ability to generate human-like responses to text-based prompts. However, like many other language models, ChatGPT has certain limitations that can hinder its effectiveness in certain applications. One such limitation is that its knowledge is restricted to events that took place before September 2021, as its training data serves as the only source of information. Additionally, language models can only provide text as output, which requires additional steps for execution. To address these limitations, OpenAI has introduced initial support for ChatGPT plugins.
ChatGPT plugins are designed specifically for language models with safety as a core principle and can enhance ChatGPT’s capabilities by accessing up-to-date information, running computations, or using third-party services.
With the help of plugins, ChatGPT can retrieve real-time information, retrieve knowledge-base information, or even perform actions on behalf of the user, such as booking a flight or ordering food.
OpenAI has developed two plugins, including a web browser and code interpreter, and has also open-sourced the code for a knowledge base retrieval plugin.
Furthermore, there are many other third-party ChatGPT plugins that users can refer to, making ChatGPT more versatile and adaptable to specific applications.
In this article, we will take a closer look at 13 top ChatGPT plugins and explore their potential to innovate it’s abilities.
1. Web Browsing Plugin
The web browsing plugin provides a language model with access to a web browser. This plugin’s text-based browser can send GET requests, which reduces several categories of security vulnerabilities, though not completely eliminating them. While this limits the plugin’s functionality to information retrieval, it does exclude “transactional” actions such as form submissions, which pose greater risks for security and safety issues.
The browsing plugin utilizes the Bing search API to retrieve web content, which inherits significant work from Microsoft on source reliability and information truthfulness, including a “safe-mode” feature to prevent the retrieval of problematic content. To further ensure safety and security, ChatGPT’s browsing activities are isolated from the rest of OpenAI’s infrastructure, operating within a separate, isolated service.
This web browsing plugin has the potential to enhance ChatGPT’s capabilities significantly, allowing it to access up-to-date information quickly and efficiently. Additionally, the plugin’s focus on safety and responsible behavior online aligns with OpenAI’s overall mission to develop artificial intelligence in a way that benefits humanity.
2. Code Interpreter Plugin
OpenAI has developed a Code Interpreter Plugin that comes equipped with an active Python interpreter in a sandboxed, firewalled execution environment, along with ephemeral disk space. This plugin provides a persistent session that is active throughout a chat conversation, allowing code executed by the interpreter to be evaluated, and successive calls can be made on top of each other.
It also allows users to upload files to the active conversation workspace and download the finished product, making it a valuable tool for a variety of tasks.
This plugin has the potential to assist users with a wide range of tasks, including solving both quantitative and qualitative mathematical problems, performing data analysis and visualization, and file format conversion. It is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their productivity, automate tasks, or perform complex operations that would otherwise be time-consuming and difficult.
3. Retrieval Plugin
The Retrieval Plugin is a powerful tool that enables ChatGPT to perform semantic search and retrieve specific information from various data sources, including files, notes, and emails. With this plugin, users can easily access relevant document snippets by simply asking questions or making demands in natural language. This feature allows businesses to make their internal documents easily accessible to their employees through ChatGPT.
The plugin creates embeddings of document chunks using OpenAI’s embeddings model and storing them in a vector database. When a user makes a query, the plugin searches the vector database and returns the most relevant document snippets.
The Retrieval Plugin is an open-source, self-hosted solution, which means that developers can customize and deploy their own version of the plugin and integrate it with ChatGPT. The plugin supports multiple vector database providers, giving developers the flexibility to choose the one that best suits their needs.
Third-party ChatGPT Plugins
4. Expedia
Expedia, the well-known travel company, has recently launched the Expedia ChatGPT Plugin, enhancing the travel planning experience for its users.
This plugin offers various features to users like:
- research travel costs
- recommend resorts and local activities based on follow-up questions
Users can customize their preferences including:
- selecting highlighted amenities
- selecting top reasons to visit a particular place
- choosing the duration of the flight or experience
- checking ticket prices
- viewing available discounts
By leveraging real-time data, code-based calculations, and various search filters, the ChatGPT plugin can offer personalized recommendations based on the user’s travel preferences. As the user updates their preferences, such as preferred amenities or travel times, the suggestions get updated accordingly.
5. FiscalNote
The FiscalNote ChatGPT plugin offers users an advanced platform to turn insights into action-oriented strategies. It provides a comprehensive overview of legal, policy, and regulatory updates, enabling users to stay informed and make informed decisions.
The plugin offers a chat-based interface that integrates ChatGPT’s advanced natural language processing capabilities with FiscalNote’s extensive database of legal and regulatory information. Users can ask questions and receive personalized responses, refining their searches to find the most relevant information.
As users interact more with this ChatGPT plugin, the machine learning algorithms can better understand their needs and preferences, resulting in more accurate and tailored responses.
6. Kayak
Kayak, a well-known travel company, has also introduced its ChatGPT plugin that utilizes the power of AI to offer personalized travel recommendations to users. With this plugin, users can easily ask travel-related questions using natural language, just as they would ask a human. The plugin can then provide customized responses based on the user’s preferences and interests.
For instance, a user can ask a question like, “How should I plan my trip to NewYork?” and receive a personalized response from the ChatGPT-powered Kayak plugin.
7. Klarna
Klarna launched a new ChatGPT plugin that enhances users’ shopping experience.
The plugin functions as a personalized shopping assistant, providing tailored recommendations based on the user’s request. It utilizes Klarna’s vast inventory of products to offer suggestions that are relevant to the user’s search.
Additionally, the plugin provides a link to Klarna’s search and compare tool, where users can compare prices across Klarna’s extensive network of retail partners. Users can prompt ChatGPT with various queries such as, “What’s the best deal on a new laptop?” or “Can you help me find a good price for a new pair of sneakers?”.
8. Milo
Milo is a ChatGPT plugin that functions as an AI co-pilot, assisting parents with organizing daily household tasks and sorting through family chaos. Powered by the latest large-language model, GPT-4, Milo is capable of sorting and sending information to the right place, while constantly improving based on feedback.
By selecting the Milo plugin, users can ask questions like “What tasks need to be done today?”, and the plugin will retrieve relevant data from Milo and generate a comprehensive to-do list. Milo can handle various forms of communication such as SMS threads, emails, screenshots, or whiteboard pictures, and turn them into structured data accessible to partners, grandparents, caregivers, and anyone who needs to know.
9. Instacart
The Instacart ChatGPT plugin offers a quick and easy solution to meal-planning woes. By asking open-ended meal questions or requesting inspiration for a specific type of food, ChatGPT will suggest recipes and meals. With just a few clicks, users can add all the necessary ingredients to their Instacart cart and have everything delivered at their doorstep.
10. OpenTable
The OpenTable plugin is designed to help users find nearby restaurants and make reservations. Users can prompt ChatGPT to find a good restaurant nearby, and ChatGPT will use the OpenTable plugin to search for options based on the user’s preferred cuisine. Once the user selects a restaurant, ChatGPT will check availability and make a reservation for them, sending him/her the details.
11. Speak
The language translation platform, Speak, has partnered with OpenAI to create its ChatGPT plugin that provides personalized language learning experiences for individuals seeking translations or explanations across languages.
12. Wolfram
The Wolfram ChatGPT plugin merges the text-generation capability of ChatGPT with the computational power of Wolfram, which can offer precise data and resolve intricate issues. This integration allows ChatGPT to request Wolfram for computations and furnish outcomes to users.
The blend of these technologies allows ChatGPT to provide filtered knowledge and data, as well as perform complicated calculations. Moreover, Wolfram furnishes current data and customized visualizations.
13. Zapier
The Zapier ChatGPT plugin can connect with over 5,000 applications, such as Gmail, Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Sheets, Trello, and others. Users can leverage this plugin to automate tasks across various applications. For instance, a user could ask ChatGPT to assist with automating their email marketing campaign. The Zapier plugin would allow ChatGPT to integrate the user’s email marketing platform with their CRM system, streamlining the campaign.
OpenAI is providing users and developers access to ChatGPT Plugins. Initially, a small number of users and developers who have ChatGPT Plus are being prioritized. Access will be rolled out to a larger scale over time. To join the waitlist, click here.
Read next: Find answers to the 7 most asked questions about ChatGPT
