Technologies

You Can Use ChatGPT To Browse the Web, Buy Groceries

The buzzy AI chatbot just received a massive upgrade.

If you ever tried asking ChatGPT about current events, you know the chatbot could only manage to spit out a limited set of answers, if at all. That’s changing.

On Thursday, the artificial intelligence company OpenAI announced that it’s gradually rolling out plugins for ChatGPT, in a move that significantly expands the chatbot’s functionality.

The first wave of plugins, which are now available in alpha to select ChatGPT users and developers, allow ChatGPT to tap new sources of live data from the web, including third-party sources such as Expedia, Kayak and Instacart. This empowers ChatGPT to browse the web and execute tasks such as booking flights and even buying groceries, among many other tasks. Prior to this upgrade, ChatGPT was restricted to drawing information from its training data, which ran until 2021.

«Though not a perfect analogy, plugins can be ‘eyes and ears’ for language models, giving them access to information that is too recent, too personal, or too specific to be included in the training data,» OpenAI said on its website.

For instance, ChatGPT can now pull up answers to questions how the box office sales of this year’s Oscar winners compare to those of other movies released recently. This new functionality is served up thanks to the browser plugin, which shows the sources the generative AI service is drawing information from before it spits out an answer.

«Plugins are very experimental still but we think there’s something great in this direction,» OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman wrote in a tweet Thursday. «It’s been a heavily requested feature.»

ChatGPT, which puts a conversational-style interface on top of an artificial intelligence construct known as a large language model, has been the buzz at the center of the tech world since it debuted in November. In the last several months, companies from Google and Microsoft to Adobe, Snapchat and Grammarly have rushed to show off and release similar generative AI capabilities in their own products.

But there are marked imperfections in the results that services like ChatGPT produce. OpenAI’s own research has shown that a chatbot with access to the internet is a risky prospect. For instance, it can have a tendency to quote unreliable sources or, as OpenAI points out, «increase safety challenges by taking harmful or unintended actions, increasing the capabilities of bad actors who would defraud, mislead, or abuse others.»

Proponents of these AI services have been focusing on the benefits.

A video posted to Twitter by OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman on Thursday demonstrates to how to use ChatGPT’s Instacart plugin to assist with meal planning. The video shows ChatGPT recommending a chickpea salad recipe and then ultimately adds the required ingredients to Instacart for purchase with just a few prompts.

A video posted on Expedia’s Twitter account shows how to leverage the Expedia plugin to essentially turn ChatGPT into your AI travel agent, helping travelers book flights and hotels. This is something ChatGPT previously couldn’t do, although it could identify places and create an itinerary.

«You can install plugins to help with a wide variety of tasks. We are excited to see what developers create!» Altman wrote on Twitter.

Some of the preliminary plugins on ChatGPT.

OpenAi/Screenshot by CNET’s Sareena Dayaram

To address risks in the answers that ChatGPT provides to queries, OpenAI said it has implemented safeguards and has limited access to a small group of users and developers to start with. Interested parties can sign up on a waitlist here.

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to create some personal finance explainers that are edited and fact-checked by our editors. For more, see this post.

Technologies

Episode 2 of the VERUM Mini-Series is Now Out

The story continues. Verum Messenger has released the second episode of its AI mini-series, which follows the conflict between the powerful Omega corporation, aiming to control digital communications, and a team of heroes who have chosen a different path and free communication.

The mini-series not only develops an engaging storyline but also introduces viewers to the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, showcasing technologies and tools that may redefine the future of modern communication.

The project consists of 7 episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 2 is now available. Stay tuned and don’t miss what comes next.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

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Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger