What ChatGPT Plugins Did, and How Their Role Changed

Quick answer

Originally introduced by OpenAI in March 2023, ChatGPT plugins were a way to extend the core chatbot's abilities beyond generating text based on its training data. They worked by allowing ChatGPT to act as an interface for external web services. When a user asked a question or gave a command that required information or actions beyond ChatGPT's built-in knowledge, the model could identify if an installed plugin was relevant. If so, it would call that plugin, pass the user's request, and receive a response back. The response might be current data, like weather forecasts, or a confirmation of an action, such as a restaurant booking.

What ChatGPT plugins did

Think of it as giving ChatGPT a set of tools. Without plugins, ChatGPT could tell you about a screwdriver. With a plugin, it could then use a digital screwdriver to interact with another application. Each plugin was developed by a third-party company, creating a bridge between their service and ChatGPT's conversational interface. This meant a user could, in theory, ask ChatGPT to "find me a flight to London next Tuesday" and a travel plugin would search for real flights, rather than just generating a fictional itinerary.

Why plugins mattered to users

For users, plugins opened ChatGPT to the live web and practical tasks. Before plugins, ChatGPT's knowledge was limited to its training cut-off date. It could not browse the internet in real time, nor could it directly interact with other services. Plugins removed this limitation. A user could ask for up-to-the-minute stock prices, compare hotel deals, or summarise a lengthy PDF document hosted online, all within the ChatGPT conversation.

This allowed ChatGPT to move beyond being a pure information generator to an agent that could assist with actual work. For instance, a Zillow plugin could help find available rental properties. A Wolfram Alpha plugin could perform complex calculations and provide scientific data. The consequence for the reader was a single interface for many tasks, reducing the need to switch between different apps and websites for related activities. This expanded the chatbot's utility from creative writing and coding assistance to functional applications in daily life and work.

How 'Custom Instructions' took over some plugin roles

In July 2023, OpenAI introduced 'Custom Instructions' to ChatGPT. This feature allowed users to set persistent preferences and context for every interaction. While not a direct replacement for the external service connection of plugins, Custom Instructions took over some of the roles plugins had filled, particularly around personalisation and specific modes of interaction.

For example, a user could tell ChatGPT, via Custom Instructions, "Always respond as a helpful coding assistant" or "When discussing travel, assume I am looking for budget options." This meant the chatbot's responses were automatically tailored without needing to specify the context in every prompt. This replaced a subtle function plugins sometimes offered: acting as a specific 'mode' for ChatGPT, even if Custom Instructions did not connect to external services.

How 'GPTs' replaced the rest

OpenAI announced a major shift at its DevDay conference in November 2023: the introduction of 'GPTs'. These are custom versions of ChatGPT that users can build for specific purposes, using natural language to define their behaviour and capabilities. Critically, GPTs can also include 'Actions', which are custom integrations to external APIs. This feature directly replaced the core functionality of plugins, allowing GPTs to connect to third-party services and perform real-world actions.

A user can now create a GPT that is specifically designed to, for example, plan meals by connecting to a recipe database, or manage project tasks by integrating with a task management system. The key difference is that instead of activating a generic plugin from a store, users now create or select a specific GPT tailored for a task. OpenAI confirmed the deprecation of the original plugin store, stating that GPTs would become the new standard for extending ChatGPT's capabilities. This was completed in March 2024.

What this changes for ChatGPT users today

For current ChatGPT users, the original plugin system is no longer available. This means you cannot browse and activate a separate 'plugin' within the interface as before. Instead, users who want extended functionality now rely on GPTs. If you used plugins to access specific services, you may find a custom GPT has been built for that same purpose, or you might need to create one yourself using the 'Create a GPT' tool.

The shift centralises customisation. Instead of managing a list of active plugins, users now interact with distinct GPTs. This offers a more focused experience for specific tasks. For instance, if you want to book a flight, you would now go to a 'Flight Booking GPT' rather than enabling a flight plugin within a general ChatGPT chat. This streamlines the interface but requires users to know which GPT to use or build. Tech Lofi covers these new features regularly, helping readers understand what changes for them.