OpenAI removes Bing integration from ChatGPT: what's next

OpenAI created a storm in tech space by introducing ChatGPT, a generative AI tool designed to help users be more productive. However, one of the major downsides of ChatGPT was that it was trained using data available until 2021. The AI tech giant solved this problem by connecting ChatGPT to the internet through Microsoft Bing. Unfortunately, the Bing integration is now gone.

OpenAI has announced on Twitter that it is removing the “Browse” feature from ChatGPT. The browsing capability using Bing was available as a beta for ChatGPT Plus subscribers until, of course, it was removed. As pointed out by OpenAI, the Bing integration was responsible for displaying content from articles behind paywalls. “We’ve learned that ChatGPT’s “Browse” beta can occasionally display content in ways we don’t want,” the company wrote on Twitter.

What Removal of Bing Integration from ChatGPT Means, and What’s Next

Now that the “Browse” functionality is no longer there in ChatGPT, you won’t be able to get content from articles that are behind paywalls. The removal also means that ChatGPT will now have limited access to current information when providing real-time answers to users. The removal could impact researchers and students the most.

We've learned that ChatGPT's "Browse" beta can occasionally display content in ways we don't want, e.g. if a user specifically asks for a URL's full text, it may inadvertently fulfill this request. We are disabling Browse while we fix this—want to do right by content owners.

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) July 4, 2023

However, browsing with Bing capability won’t remain unavailable for ChatGPT Plus subscribers forever. OpenAI said that it’d be unavailable temporarily. In the meantime, the company will fix the issue of content from paywalled articles getting displayed. The company has assured users that the Bing integration will be back after the company fixes the problem. The AI tech firm has not disclosed when it will bring back the capability, though.

Bing AI Chat Is Your ChatGPT Alternative

Bing AI Chat and ChatGPT are based on the same Large Language Model (LLM), GPT 4.0. While both generative AI tools have pros and cons, Microsoft’s Bing Chat can provide better real-time answers now that the “Browse” capability is not available in ChatGPT.

Bing AI Chat can also generate images based on what’s described using text input. You can use Bing AI Chat as an alternative to ChatGPT Plus, and the best part is Microsoft’s tool is free to use if you have a Microsoft account, unlike the latter, which costs $20 a month.

What our readers think about ChatGPT vs. Bing AI Chat? Which one is better according to you? Let us know in the comments section.