OpenAI's ChatGPT App Can Now Search the Web, But Only via Bing
OpenAI's ChatGPT app can now search the web, but only via Bing. This means that users can ask ChatGPT questions and have it search Bing for the answers. The new feature, called Browsing, allows ChatGPT Plus subscribers to ask the chatbot questions and have it search Bing for the answers.
Browsing can be enabled by going to the New Features section of the ChatGPT app settings, selecting "GPT-4" in the model switcher, and choosing "Browse with Bing" from the drop-down list. Browsing is available on both the iOS and Android versions of the app.
Browsing is particularly useful for queries about current events and other information that ChatGPT's training data doesn't cover. When Browsing is disabled, ChatGPT's knowledge cuts off in 2021.
The new feature certainly makes ChatGPT a more useful assistant, particularly for research. Prior to Browsing, asking ChatGPT questions like "Who won the 2023 March Madness women's tournament?" would yield no useful results.
However, limiting ChatGPT's search capabilities to Bing is a questionable decision. Bing is far from the be-all and end-all of search engines, and there are legitimate concerns about its accuracy and impartiality.
For example, a 2011 analysis found that Bing was potentially unfairly serving more Microsoft-related results than Google links. More recently, a Stanford study found that Bing's top search results contained an "alarming" amount of disinformation, including links to fake news websites and conspiracy theories.
Microsoft is undoubtedly improving Bing's algorithms behind the scenes. But the problem with ChatGPT's new Browsing feature is that, when Bing inevitably slips up, users won't have any alternatives to choose from.
In other news, tapping on a search result now takes you directly to the respective point in the conversation. That change, along with Browsing, is rolling out this week, OpenAI says.
Overall, the new Browsing feature is a welcome addition to ChatGPT. However, the decision to limit it to Bing is a puzzling one. It's hard to recommend ChatGPT to users who are looking for a truly impartial and accurate search experience.
Source: TechCrunch