How to use ChatGPT plug-ins to get the job done?

With the constant growth of the ChatGPT plugin store, there are constantly new ways to put ChatGPT and artificial intelligence to work.

But how do you get the most out of each ChatGPT plugin?

With more than 550 plugins, it's hard to get a real idea of the benefits of each plugin from its 100-character description in the plugin store.

Fortunately, we can help.

Here's how to use the latest ChatGPT plugins for work tasks and beyond, from choosing the right plugin to getting ChatGPT to tell you how to use it effectively.

Access to the ChatGPT plugin store

Only ChatGPT Plus subscribers have access to GPT-4 plugins.

The ChatGPT plugin store can be found through the Plugins (Beta) section under GPT-4.

Search for ChatGPT plugins by keywords

Until OpenAI categorizes the plugin store, there are two ways to find new plugins to try. You can browse all, new and popular ChatGPT plugins.

You can also use search to find plugins by keyword.

Please note that only plugins with the exact keyword in the plugin name or description are included in the search results. Plugins with similar names or functionality are not included.

If you can't find a plugin, try searching for related keywords or types of functionality. Chances are there is something out there with the features you need.

Installing ChatGPT plug-ins

You can install one or more plugins by clicking the Install button next to each plugin. Although ChatGPT limits the use of no more than three plug-ins per chat, you can install as many plug-ins as you want.

When you click the Install button, two things can happen. The plugin may install instantly, or you may be redirected to a third-party site to create an account to use a third-party service in conjunction with ChatGPT.

For example, the Reflect Notes app redirects you to create an account and asks you to authorize ChatGPT using your account.

After installing the app and connecting to the necessary third-party accounts, you can use the plugin in ChatGPT.

While OpenAI checks plugins for uses that are against the usage policy, it is up to you to investigate third-party ChatGPT plugins like you investigate WordPress plugins or Chrome extensions before giving them access to your data or credit card.

A quick internet search on most plugins will turn up an official website, media mentions, or catalogs with more detailed information.

Ask ChatGPT for directions.

If you don't know what to do with the new ChatGPT plugin, you can refer to it for recommendations. First of all, enable the plugin in the new chat by checking the checkbox.

After enabling the plugin, contact ChatGPT for instructions on how to proceed.

You can ask questions about using the plugin or get advice on how to use it for a particular task, both broad and specific.

Discover the most effective tips

In addition to asking for instructions on how to use the plugin, you can also ask what prompts to use for the plugin and the task at hand.

In the following example, I switched to the SEO Assistant plugin and asked what tips are best to use with it.

In this case, ChatGPT shares a description of the plugin, followed by tips primarily focused on keyword research.

Find out which of the included plugins is best suited for the task at hand

If you find several plugins with similar functionality, you can include no more than three and ask ChatGPT which one is best for your task.

Recognize when ChatGPT is in disarray

It's important to know what you're working with well enough to recognize when ChatGPT is hallucinating or making logical errors, such as statements that sound true but are in fact false.

In this example, ChatGPT forgets that it has plugins and starts making up the ones it thinks it should have based on WordPress plugins.

Let ChatGPT experiment to determine the best plugin to use

When you enable three plugins with similar functionality, ChatGPT itself will choose the one that best suits your specific request.

In the following example, I ask for a competitor analysis of OpenAI's website. Two of the three included SEO plugins were tried to get the best answer.

Explore how ChatGPT plugins request a response

How did ChatGPT respond to your request?

In the case of plugins, sometimes you can figure this out by expanding the dropdown list while the plugin is working on executing the request.

In this example, VoxScript used search results from DuckDuckGo to find the answer to my question, but failed after two attempts.

Rephrase your request

Interestingly, the plugin used in the above example answered a similar question in the previous chat using sources other than DuckDuckGo search results.

This is an important reminder that you may need to rephrase your request to ChatGPT and any enabled plugins several times to get the information you need.

Even the slightest change to a query can be the deciding factor in getting a valuable response rather than an inaccurate, incomplete or useless one.

Using ChatGPT plug-ins on iPhone or Android

Unfortunately, ChatGPT plugins are not yet available in the official iOS app. But you can access ChatGPT plugins through a mobile browser, such as Google Chrome, from the App or Play Store.

As you can see from the above example, when using the Link Reader web browsing application, a long list of motivational tips requires additional prompts to complete the list with the correct number of items and sources for each tip.

Impressive performance and room for improvement

The ChatGPT plugin store offers many options to enhance the ChatGPT experience, especially for ChatGPT Plus subscribers.

With over 550 plugins available, users can enhance their ChatGPT experience by installing and utilizing them effectively.

However, due to the current limitations of the store's search function, users are advised to conduct additional research and rely on external sources for information on plugin functionality and security.

Once installed, ChatGPT can sometimes prompt users on how to use plugins effectively, including giving hints and suggestions on how to use the plugin for specific tasks.

However, there may be occasional misses as these features are still in beta.

While support for mobile apps is still under development, mobile browsers provide an alternative option for using ChatGPT plugins on a variety of devices.

Users are encouraged to explore and experiment with various plugins that allow ChatGPT to search the web and prepare accurate and valuable responses.