Open AI has temporarily disabled the Browse with Bing feature in its ChatGPT AI service due to concerns regarding access to paywalled content. Open AI added Bing Search as a premium service to ChatGPT in May, providing users with more up-to-date and timely information. However, the feature was disabled on July 3, 2023, out of an abundance of caution. Open AI is working to bring back the beta feature as soon as possible.

The Browse with Bing feature was available exclusively to ChatGPT Plus subscribers. It allowed users to access the web and find information beyond the data set available in ChatGPT, which only contained information up to 2021 or earlier. By integrating Bing Search into ChatGPT, Open AI aimed to provide more current and relevant answers to user queries.

The decision to disable the Browse with Bing feature came after users discovered that it could bypass paywalls and access premium content. Open AI received feedback on Twitter that ChatGPT was able to retrieve paywalled articles through the Browse with Bing feature. Mikhail Parakhin from Microsoft, which owns Bing, responded to the tweet, stating that Bing Chat has mechanisms in place to prevent paywalled content from being included in answers. He advised Open AI to double-check the issue on their end.

The temporary disablement of the feature demonstrates Open AI’s commitment to prioritize the rights of content owners. While the Browse with Bing feature is currently disabled, Open AI is actively working to resolve the issue and bring back the feature as quickly as possible.

The Browse with Bing feature was anticipated to enhance the user experience and provide more comprehensive search results. It allowed ChatGPT Plus subscribers to navigate paywalled articles and access information that may not have been available within ChatGPT’s dataset. However, due to the paywall loophole, the feature had to be disabled to address the concerns raised.

It remains unclear when the Browse with Bing feature will be reinstated. However, it is expected to return soon, considering Open AI’s commitment to offering an improved and useful service to ChatGPT users. Until then, users will have to rely on the existing capabilities of ChatGPT without access to real-time information from the web.

In conclusion, Open AI has disabled the Browse with Bing feature on its ChatGPT AI service due to concerns about unauthorized access to paywalled content. The feature was introduced to provide users with more up-to-date information, but it had to be temporarily disabled to prioritize the rights of content owners. Open AI is actively working on resolving the issue and bringing back the feature in the near future.