About three or so months ago I was using the Wolfram Alpha website and read that a Wolfram plugin had been released for use with ChatGPT. That was good news because ChatGPT does not do math well (like, at all). I had a ChatGPT account (you can’t use any of the major AI engines without creating an account, even though the engine may be free to use). So I decided to add the Wolfram Plugin to my ChatGPT account.
Well, the first obstacle was immediate. Turns out the plugin is available only for ChatGPT Plus i.e. the paid version of ChatGPT (which is now ChatGPT 4). Ok, fine! I’ll pay the $20/mth for ChatGPT Plus. Then, it seems like I may have to fiddle around with some coding to install the plugin. So I decided I may as well ask ChatGPT how to do it. I asked it “How can I add plugins?”. It thought I was asking how to install plugins in general. No, no! I want to install the Wolfram plugin. ChatGPT provides instructions about how to add plugins to the Wolfram language.
Me: “No, I want to install the Wolfram plugin in ChatGPT.”
ChatGPT: “I apologize for the confusion earlier. As of my last update in September 2021, OpenAI’s models, including ChatGPT, don’t have an official interface for directly incorporating or interacting with Wolfram products via plugins.[…]”
Me: “What plugins are available for ChatGPT?”
ChatGPT: “As of my knowledge cut-off date in September 2021, OpenAI’s models, including ChatGPT, are not designed to support “plugins” in the traditional sense. They are offered via API, and users can interact with them by making HTTP requests. There’s no standard interface for extending their functionality with plugins, like you might find in a web browser or content management system.[…]”
Me: “Are you ChatGPT4?”
ChatGPT: “Yes, I am based on OpenAI’s GPT-4 architecture. I’m here to answer questions and provide information based on the knowledge that was available up until September 2021. How can I assist you today?”
Me: “Hasn’t your database been updated since 2021?”
ChatGPT: “As of my current interaction with you, my knowledge is based on information available up until September 2021, and I’m not aware of updates or changes that may have occurred after that date. While OpenAI continues to work on new models and research, the specific version of the model you are interacting with does not have access to real-time information or updates beyond that cut-off point. Is there something specific you would like to know or ask about? I’ll do my best to assist you with the information I have!”
There was further exchange along similar lines and then I gave up, thinking I would get back to it later. Two to three months go by and I continue to pay the monthly subscription fee though not using ChatGPT at all. It’s just easier to use Bing and Bard because I’m usually logged into Microsoft and Google accounts. Plus, since the accuracy/reliability of answers provided by AI engines is questionable, whenever I need to be sure of the information I get, I end up doing manual searches or calculations.
Today, I thought I would give another try to adding the Wolfram plugin and if I couldn’t do it, I would just cancel my ChatGPT subscription. So back the to the Wolfram site and after some searching I come across instructions “ChatGPT Plus users can install the Wolfram plugin by visiting the plugin store after logging in.” Well ok, that’s cool. I go back to ChatGPT.
Me (explicitly using ChatGPT4): “Do you have the Wolfram plugin?”
ChatGPT(4): “No, I do not have the Wolfram plugin. However, I can assist with a wide range of questions and tasks using the tools and resources available to me, such as Python for calculations, data analysis, and simulations, as well as a web browser for research. If you have any specific queries or tasks in mind, feel free to ask!”
Me: “Take me to the chatgpt plugin store”.
ChatGPT(4): “There isn’t a “ChatGPT plugin store” as such. ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a language model that’s integrated into various applications and platforms, but it doesn’t have a dedicated store for plugins or add-ons.
Developers can use the OpenAI API to integrate ChatGPT into their own applications, creating custom functionalities. These integrations are usually specific to the platforms or applications they’re designed for, and they’re not centralized in a single “store”.
If you’re looking for specific functionalities or integrations for ChatGPT, you might need to look into the platforms or applications where ChatGPT is being used, or consider developing a custom solution using the OpenAI API.
Could you clarify what kind of functionality or integration you’re interested in? That would help me provide more specific guidance or information.”
Sigh! This is not going well. So I decide to do my own search on the web – ‘how to install wolfram plugin chatgpt’. I get several hits and they all refer to the plugin store. But where is that plugin store?!
After checking multiple websites I find one that says:
1. Go to settings.
2. Enable beta features.
3. Turn on plugins under the GPT4 section.
4. Visit the plugin store and install the Wolfram plugin.
At last! Ok, settings. Where are the settings? In the lefthand panel in ChatGPT there is no gear icon, there is no layer icon, there is no menu item referring to settings. Now what?
I finally decide to click on my name in the lefthand panel. And, lo and behold! In the pop-up menu there is line (accompanied by a gear icon) that says “Settings & Beta”. Then I just follow the list of instructions above and get the Wolfram plugin installed. Mission accomplished.
Oh, wait. How do I make sure that ChatGPT is using the Wolfram plugin. The website with the above list of instructions describes various ways in which the plugin can be used but not how to invoke it. Ok, so on to another website. This one provides additional instructions (but not the crucial “Go to settings”).
- Open a ChatGPT conversation.
- Type in the Wolfram plugin command.
- Ask ChatGPT to perform a computational task.
- ChatGPT will use the Wolfram|Alpha knowledge engine to answer your question or fulfill your request
Here are some examples of Wolfram plugin commands:
wolfram: square root of 16
I do a little bit of experimentation and find that explicit invocation of the “wolfram:” is not needed. You can type in your query just like normal and if ChatGPT uses the Wolfram plugin its answer will note “Used Wolfram” and in a drop-down menu provide the query it made to Wolfram.
I suppose if you are in a session with ChatGPT after logging in afresh, you may have to invoke the “Wolfram:” to get the plugin going.
I’ll have to do some more experimentation to find out how useful is the ChatGPT4/Wolfram combo. Maybe I’ll postpone cancelling my subscription …
Also published here.