ChatGPT to feature plugin support as OpenAI announces new update

Many developers have been requesting the ability for the chatbot to integrate with third-party applications, and this feature will now be made available.

OpenAI is currently offering limited alpha access to plugins for ChatGPT, and interested developers can join a waitlist to gain access. Initially, only a small number of developers and ChatGPT Plus subscribers will be permitted to create plugins for the chatbot. However, OpenAI plans to expand access as it continues to refine the system to meet the needs of developers.

In the coming months, OpenAI intends to improve the safety systems and iterate on the protocol. The company plans to allow developers to integrate plugins into their own applications, beyond ChatGPT, using OpenAI models.

As of today, ChatGPT plugins can retrieve real-time information from other services and perform actions for users, such as ordering food or booking a flight. OpenAI has announced 12 plugins from third-party platforms, including Expedia, Kayak, Instacart, Shopify, Opentable, Slack, and Zapier. These existing plugins will initially be enabled for ChatGPT Plus subscribers.

OpenAI has also developed two plugins for a web browser and a code interpreter. Additionally, the company is open-sourcing the code for a knowledgebase retrieval plugin. During this alpha period, OpenAI is testing a community-based approach to the development of plugins connecting AI chatbots with third-party applications.

The company expects that open standards will eventually emerge to unify the ways in which applications expose an AI-facing interface. OpenAI is working on an early attempt at such a standard and is seeking feedback from developers interested in building with the company.