ChatGPT-4 and Web Browsing: A Guide

Ahmadreza Shamimi
3 min readMay 17, 2023

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ChatGPT-4, the latest version of OpenAI’s conversational AI as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, is equipped with a novel web browsing tool. This feature enhances the ability of the AI to access and pull in information from the internet in real-time, keeping the conversation updated with the most recent events and data available online. This document provides a comprehensive guide on how to activate and utilize the web browsing feature in ChatGPT-4.

Activating the Web Browsing Feature

To activate the web browsing tool, you simply need to ask ChatGPT-4 to look up information on the web. The AI will utilize its web browsing tool to search for the requested information.

For example, you could ask: “Can you find the latest news on space exploration?”

In response, ChatGPT-4 will use its web browsing tool to look for relevant, up-to-date information.

Searching the Web with ChatGPT-4

When you request information that requires up-to-date data or specific online sources, ChatGPT-4 will automatically use its web browsing tool to search the internet. You can also explicitly request the AI to use its browsing tool by asking it to perform a web search.

For example, you could ask: “Can you search the web for the latest technological advancements in AI?”

Here are the primary commands ChatGPT-4 can execute with its web browsing tool:

  • search(query: str, recency_days: int): This command issues a query to a search engine and displays the results. The query parameter is the search term, and recency_days can be used to specify how recent the search results should be.
  • click(id: str): This command opens the webpage with the given id, displaying its content. The ID maps to a URL from the displayed search results.
  • quote(start: str, end: str): This command stores a text span from an open webpage. You specify a text span from the open webpage by a starting substring start and an ending substring end. This is used for referencing the information later.
  • back(): This command returns to the previous page and displays it.
  • scroll(amt: int): This command scrolls up or down in the open webpage by the given amount. This is useful for viewing more content on a page.
  • open_url(url: str): This command opens the given URL and displays it.

These commands provide a powerful and flexible way to search and interact with the web, enhancing the conversational capabilities of ChatGPT-4.

Remember, the goal is to have a useful and productive dialogue. So, while you can give direct commands to browse the web, it’s often more beneficial to frame your requests as part of a natural conversation. ChatGPT-4 is designed to understand context and provide helpful responses. For instance, instead of saying “search(‘AI advancements’)”, you could ask “What are the latest advancements in AI?”.

Conclusion

ChatGPT-4’s web browsing feature is a significant enhancement, allowing the AI to bring in real-time information from the internet. By understanding how to activate this feature and the associated commands, you can make your interactions with ChatGPT-4 more productive and informative.

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Ahmadreza Shamimi
Ahmadreza Shamimi

Written by Ahmadreza Shamimi

I'm Ahmadreza Shamimi with an experienced with over 10 years of experience coding with web and mobile platforms.

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