A week ago, OpenAI released one of the most highly anticipated features for ChatGPT users. Browse, the new browsing function of the AI, put an end to ChatGPT’s internet disconnection that had prevented it from accessing information from 2021 onwards. However, the browsing feature for ChatGPT was not launched for free, and users who wanted to try it had to be subscribed to ChatGPT Plus, OpenAI’s premium service.
Shortly after its release, OpenAI has had to disable ChatGPT Browse due to displaying content “in ways we didn’t intend,” according to a recent Twitter post by the company.
And the issue is not to be taken lightly. The new ChatGPT feature allowed users to bypass paywalls on websites (systems that partially or completely block content unless you pay a subscription) simply by requesting the full text of a link. “We are disabling Browse while we address this; we want to do right by content creators,” OpenAI explains in their tweet.
The “best” part of all this is that this situation is not new for OpenAI. The new Microsoft Bing, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, could also easily bypass paywalls on websites by simply asking for a summary of the entered link. Additionally, the new Bing had another rocky start, responding to users aggressively, insulting them, and even gaslighting them.
Currently, it is unknown when the Browse feature of ChatGPT will be operational again. However, Greg Brockman, the President and Co-founder of OpenAI, states in a tweet that their team is working to bring back this browsing functionality as soon as possible.
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