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OpenAI is unveiling new ChatGPT features today - search engine not included

The chatbot's free version is due for a refresh, and OpenAI's CEO promises new stuff that 'feels like magic.'
Written by Sabrina Ortiz, Editor
ChatGPT
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET

Since finding initial success with the launch of ChatGPT, OpenAI has worked to maintain its momentum by releasing a string of new AI models, features, frameworks, and more. Today, the company will give the public a look at its latest projects.

Also: How to use ChatGPT to write code: What it can and can't do for you

With rumors of a launch event circulating all last week, OpenAI confirmed via an X post that it will hold a "Spring Updates" event today, May 13 at 10 a.m. PT, which the public is invited to attend via a livestream on the company's website.

The company kept its event description vague, encouraging users to tune in live for a demo of "some ChatGPT and GPT-4 updates." If you were anticipating announcements about GPT-5 or an AI-powered search engine, you'd be disappointed to hear that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shut down that possibility.

Shortly after OpenAI confirmed the event, Altman took to X to clarify that the announcements would not include either. He added, however, that he expects people will "love" the "new stuff" the startup has been working on.

What could these other updates be? If you've been using ChatGPT since it first launched, you'll know that -- in terms of user experience -- the free version of the chatbot remains relatively unchanged.

That leaves significant room for potential upgrades to the free version, including changing the underlying model from GPT-3.5 to GPT-4, adding DALL-E support, multimodal prompts, footnotes, and more. All of these features are already available in ChatGPT Plus and in the free version of Microsoft Copilot. There is also the possibility that we will learn more about the mystery OpenAI-linked chatbot, whose capabilities have left users incredibly impressed.

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