Related Articles
Well, howdy there! Welcome to another edition of AI Unlocked. Hope you’re having fun learning about different ways to use AI. (Have any chatbot-related questions? Reach out!) So far, we’ve used chatbots for brainstorming sessions and email writing, so the focus was primarily on the content it can make. But what can it do, exactly?
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The post below was first published in 2023. Use the menu above to read the original five AI Unlocked newsletters.
Day four is all about web surfing. 🌊🏄🏾♀️🕸️
Here are three core ideas worth understanding about today’s topic:
Web browsing with AI assistance can mean multiple things. For example, Microsoft’s Edge browser includes built-in tools to give you more context as you surf. With OpenAI’s web browsing feature for ChatGPT Plus, the chatbot can attempt to browse websites to answer your questions.Avoid sharing sensitive data with chatbots. This tip may sound familiar from an earlier newsletter, but it’s worth repeating. Remember that the prompts you type and other data is often collected, stored, and used to power future iterations. And getting that data removed is often a tricky, if impossible, process.Keep your expectations in check. It may feel weird or frustrating when you first try out AI-assisted web browsing. Instead of just focusing on downsides, look for potential positives and new ways to interact with the technology.
Right now, take the time to read David Nield’s article about how to use AI as part of your web browsing experience. What aspects of Microsoft’s Edge browser sound useful to you? Which ones sound less important?
Are you feeling ambitious? For extra credit, check out my guide to the feature that used to make ChatGPT Plus worthwhile. If you were testing a chatbot’s ability to browse the web, what would you do differently?
Prompt Pro Tip
One way to discover how a chatbot can be helpful to you is simple: Just ask it! As with most prompts, giving the AI a few more details to work with might lead to more involved answers.
Instead of: How can you help me as I browse the web?
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Try: I’m a parent who wants to understand Minecraft better. It’s not a topic I’m very familiar with. Which chatbot features do you think could best help me browse the web, and where should I start?
My Prompt
Instead of a prompt from me today, here’s an example of the AI tool in action. It would be cool to get an ebike, but I’m a little nervous. So, I was reading WIRED’s roundup of the best ebikes, by Adrienne So, with Edge’s AI Copilot sidebar open on the side of the screen. The “Insights” tab in Microsoft Edge pulled key paragraphs from the text and recommended YouTube videos to watch.
Edge’s Q&A feature worked alright, but it overlooked some of the key details and larger context provided by Adrienne in the original article. With this in mind, it did seem like the video recommendations would be a fun starting point for further research about electric bikes. Experiment with this feature on the next article you read. What do you think could be the most helpful aspect?
When you use Edge’s sidebar, the AI scans whatever’s on the page and highlights key points:
The sidebar also suggests YouTube videos you can watch for additional context:
Your Prompt
Rethink your relationship with search engines today. Download Microsoft Edge and follow the steps in David’s article to set up the Copilot chat sidebar. (Don’t worry, you can delete it after the experiment is up, if it’s not for you.) While browsing the web, try to find any opportunities you can to use the Chat, Compose, and Insights features. Do you feel like this is a useful way to interact with the web, or is it too clunky to be helpful? Is it somewhere in-between?
Pause and Think
WIRED has lots of great people on staff, and I love reading everyone’s different perspectives about what the future holds. While my article about ChatGPT’s web browsing beta highlights potentials for the technology, Parker Hall, our senior editor of product reviews, wrote a fantastic piece about the pitfalls of chatbots, especially for online shopping:
Most PopularGearPS5 vs PS5 Slim: What’s the Difference, and Which One Should You Get?By Eric RavenscraftGear13 Great Couches You Can Order OnlineBy Louryn StrampeGearThe Best Radios to Catch Your Favorite AirwavesBy Nena Farrell GearThe Best Robot Vacuums to Keep Your Home CleanBy Adrienne So
As you experiment with AI-assisted web browsing, take time to think about the potential short-term and long-term impacts it may have on how we interact with information online. What do you think the Internet will look like in five years? Is this imagined future a better experience for users? It’s also worth considering how this shift will impact people who write online articles and product reviews.
Yes, Context Matters
That’s it for newsletter four. Have fun with all the gnarly, new ways to surf the web. Talk soon!
Want to discover the latest tips and tricks for making the most of chatbots and AI tools in your everyday life? Sign up for a whole new season of AI Unlocked now!
For additional context about AI browsing and other applications, check out more of WIRED’s journalism:
They Plugged GPT-4 Into Minecraft—and Unearthed New Potential for AIChatGPT vs. Gemini: Which AI Chatbot Subscription Is Right for You?Confessions of an AI Clickbait KingpinThe Wild Claim at the Heart of Elon Musk’s OpenAI Lawsuit
