ChatGPT normally can’t connect to the internet. ChatGPT knows a lot of things, but its knowledge is mostly up until the year 2021. It doesn’t have much information about what has happened after that year.
Here, we explain why ChatGPT doesn’t have internet access and what can you do to make it connect to the internet.
Does ChatGPT have access to the internet?
No, ChatGPT normally doesn’t have the ability to access the internet.
Why don’t ChatGPT access to the internet?
There are several important reasons behind this limitation. Let’s take a closer look at them:
Training Process
ChatGPT undergoes a training phase where it’s exposed to extensive datasets. After this training, ChatGPT lacks awareness of events that occur afterward and needs to be retrained.
Also read: Where does ChatGPT get its data from?
Connecting ChatGPT to the internet means disregarding its original training data, and it’s important to note that querying the internet comes with significant costs, both in terms of time and money.
A Conscious Choice
The ability to function without the internet has both its advantages and disadvantages. OpenAI actually deliberately wanted ChatGPT to work without internet access.
ChatGPT utilizes GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 models. GPT models, in particular, can operate using only the information from their training datasets without needing to make internet queries each time you use them.
Learn More: All OpenAI’s GPT models From GPT-4 to GPT-1
This feature allows them to provide rapid responses. However, the downside is that they lack the ability to access the internet to stay informed about current events and developments.”
Privacy and Security
One of the main concerns is protecting your privacy and keeping your information secure. If ChatGPT had internet access, it could be vulnerable to malicious users who might try to access your personal and sensitive information. OpenAI wants to ensure that your privacy remains intact.
Bias and Control
OpenAI puts significant effort into ensuring ChatGPT is unbiased and offers trustworthy information.
Nevertheless, if it were connected to the internet, there would be a heightened risk of introducing biases and generating inappropriate responses from internet.
Is it possible to connect ChatGPT to the internet?
Yes, it is possible to use ChatGPT with internet access. There are various ways to achieve that.
How to connect ChatGPT to the internet?
Here, a few ways to connect ChatGPT to the internet and enable it to access up-to-date information.
1. Use Web Browsing Feature in ChatGPT
If you want to enhance your experience, you can activate Web Browsing in ChatGPT. Here’s how you can enable default web browsing feature.
- Become a ChatGPT Plus subscriber
- Locate the Settings icon in the bottom left-hand corner of your ChatGPT screen.
- Click on Settings to open the menu.
- Look for the Beta features option and click on it.
- Now, you will see two toggles: one for Web browsing and, if available, one for Plugins.
- Turn on the toggle for Web browsing.
Once you have enabled it in settings you’ll notice two new options in the place where you switch between different versions of ChatGPT, such as GPT-3.5, GPT-4, Web Browsing and ChatGPT Plugins.
If you select web browsing there, ChatGPT will now try to search web when answering your questions.
2. Use ChatGPT Plugin Feature
With ChatGPT plugins, you can access external applications apart from ChatGPT’s own knowledge.
This allow ChatGPT to access the most up-to-date information. By using extensions, you can also enable ChatGPT to connect to the internet in a way.
Also read: 10+ Cool ChatGPT Plugins that You Should Be Aware Of
Just like web browsing, you need to be a ChatGPT Plus member to activate the extensions. Once you become a ChatGPT Plus member, you should follow the steps below to activate them.
- Click on Settings to open the menu.
- Look for the Beta features option and click on it.
- Turn on toggle for Plugins
After enabling this feature, you can select the GPT-4 model on the main page and go to the plugin store to install any extension you desire.
3. Use WebChatGPT Chrome Extension
You can also use some ChatGPT Chrome Extensions to enable internet access.
By adding the WebChatGPT Chrome extension to your browser, you can provide ChatGPT with internet access. We will guide you through the step-by-step process of using the ChatGPT extension.
Step 1: Adding the WebChatGPT Chrome Extension: To grant ChatGPT internet access, follow these steps to add the WebChatGPT Chrome extension to your browser:
- Open your Google Chrome browser.
- Visit the Chrome Web Store.
- In the search bar, look for “WebChatGPT.”
- Click on the “Add to Chrome” button next to the WebChatGPT extension.
- Confirm the installation by clicking “Add Extension” in the dialog box. Note: The WebChatGPT extension is also available for Firefox users.
Step 2: Setting Up Your Preferences: After successfully logging in to ChatGPT, you can customize your preferences for the WebChatGPT extension. In the following example, we demonstrate how to fetch 5 results from a US source published within the last week.
- Below the ChatGPT text box, next to the web access toggle, you will find four settings.
- Choose the number of results to fetch, starting with 3-5 as a recommended range.
- Specify the time and region from which the results should be fetched.
- Optional: Click on “Default prompt” and then “+New prompt” to create your own template for prompts when using the WebChatGPT extension.
Step 3: Live Web Search with ChatGPT: Now that you have configured your preferences, it’s time to explore ChatGPT’s improved capabilities in fetching live information from the web. This feature allows ChatGPT to better understand various topics and queries.
- Type your query into the ChatGPT chat box while ensuring that the web access toggle is turned on.
- The extension will provide you with the most recent and relevant information related to your query, along with appropriate citations.
- For optimal accuracy, you can refer to up to 10 results. However, fetching too many results may lead to less satisfactory outcomes.