The current version of ChatGPT uses data from 2021 and back, and it’s not connected to the Internet so it can’t provide real-time, up-to-date data. That means, if you need access to real-time data such as travel or information available after 2021, ChatGPT cannot help you. That’s why plugins were invented!
ChatGPT’s plugins are additional functionalities or extensions that can be added to the ChatGPT model. They’re generally designed by researchers or developers to tailor the ChatGPT model to specific use cases and improve its performance in those areas. It’s like Google or Apple Apps, but they’re specifically designed to work in conjunction with ChatGPT.
These plugins can enhance the capabilities of ChatGPT and provide more specialized functionalities for specific tasks or domains. For example, there are plugins for customer sentiment analysis, language translation, spell checking, and even domain-specific plugins for medical or legal assistance.
The chat functionality is provided by ChatGPT but the actual processing and the output of the queries are processed by the specific plugin that you choose. For example, if you need to look for flight information, you tell ChatGPT to load a specific plugin then query the information you are looking for. ChatGPT will connect to the plugin that you selected and fetch that information. If you want to book the flight, you will be directed to the plugin website.
So why is using ChatGPT to look for flights relevant to your career? Imagine a virtual assistant helping you with all of your tasks. ChatGPT itself can assist you by answering questions and fetching specific information that it has, but it can’t perform tasks using online data. You need another assistant to perform such tasks for you, which is where the plugins come into play.
Here is an example. Let’s assume that you want to design a beautiful web site, a brochure, or make a presentation. Canva is a popular design application, but you need to know how to use it.
Canva has a ChatGPT plugin. You simply tell ChatGPT what you are looking for. For example: “Design a brochure inviting people to my online store on Black Friday”. ChatGPT will provide several options for the brochure and ask you to select the template you prefer. It will also offer customization ideas, such as where to replace text and where to add a logo, as well as the link to the template. Another plugin is Diagrams: ShowME. It can help you create beautiful flowcharts and diagrams and make you look like a hero! You can brag about the many hours it took you to create your brochure or diagrams or just tell everyone that you used AI to create it!