How to Build a ChatGPT plugin and why you need to do it right now

AI is changing how businesses work, and if you want to stay ahead, you need to be quick in using this technology.

ChatGPT has already amazed internet users, and now, ChatGPT plugins are here, taking the AI interaction even further. Plugins give ChatGPT new abilities and open up new business opportunities. Even though this is still developing, the sooner you get on board, the better it is for your business.

In the business world, keeping up with new trends is like catching a train - you need to go really fast to make it. So let’s learn how to become one of the pioneers in ChatGPT plugin development.

We, at Greenice, have experience in working with different GPT technologies and are ready to help you tame them. So let’s begin!

What is a ChatGPT plugin?

In march 2023, OpenAI introduced plugins for ChatGPT, gradually adding them to study their use and how safe they are.

What are these plugins?

ChatGPT plugins are tools designed for language models that enhance their functionality. They can browse the internet or specific databases to provide users with updated information, allow for booking tickets, or shopping. In fact, up to three plugins can be used simultaneously to find solutions more efficiently. Users select plugins relevant to their request, write a prompt, and the chatbot uses the most appropriate data to provide answers. This technology has the potential to unlock value for millions of customers across various industries, and businesses can leverage it for positive outcomes.

Businesses can add extra features that fit their needs by making their own plugins for ChatGPT. Well-known companies like Klarna, Kayak, Instacart, Shopify and Expedia are already using ChatGPT plugins to make their user experience better and earn more money.

Why are plugins such a big deal?

Let's illustrate this with an analogy. Just as smartphones gained their true utility through apps—accessible, entertaining, and simplifying our lives—ChatGPT operates similarly. Plugins serve as extensions that broaden its capabilities and tailor the technology to specific objectives. The fact that ChatGPT itself operates data only up to 2021 makes the technology limited. Plugins give the chatbot a chance to use any database, even with real-time data. For instance, they help to transform ChatGPT into a travel guide, offering tailored assistance and expertise in that domain - from consulting on destination to booking the tickets there.

Plugins enable ChatGPT users to access information as specified by the plugin developers. When a user provides a prompt, ChatGPT determines whether to use the knowledge it gained from OpenAI's training or utilize a plugin's capabilities to fulfill the request, depending on what's most relevant.

For now, there is limited access to plugins (both for users and developers), as OpenAI still analyzes their use and works on improvement. OpenAI says that they gradually offer plugin alpha access to users and developers on their waitlist. While they will first focus on a few developers and ChatGPT Plus users, the goal is to later expand access to a broader audience. Developers invited from the OpenAI waitlist can refer to the documentation to create ChatGPT plugins. These plugins are listed in the prompt given to the language model, along with instructions on how to use them.

If you are confused about differences between GPT models APIs and plugins - the latter are designed to function only within the ChatGPT user interface. At the same time, you can use the API of the GPT-3, GPT-3.5, or GPT-4 models to build a separate app or a chatbot that will work on your website.

Areas of implementation and best examples

ChatGPT plugins offer versatile solutions across various industries, transforming processes and enhancing customer experiences. Here are just a few possible examples where the plugins can be applied:

eCommerce:

• Personalized Shopping Experience - for tailored product recommendations and shopping guidance.
• Inventory Management - for efficient inventory tracking and management.

Traveling:

• Tickets booking and reservations - to find and book available tickets in real time.
• Route planner - to build a perfect trip considering transportation and sightseeings.

Education:

• Automated Grading - for automated assignment and exam grading, freeing educators' time.
• Virtual Tutors - for personalized learning experiences and tutoring to students.

Hospitality:

• Guest Services Automation - for automating booking, check-in, and inquiries.
• Feedback Analysis - for gaining guest satisfaction insights.

Healthcare:

• Appointment Scheduling - for easy appointment booking and management.
• Medical Records Management - for efficient patient data processing and management, ensuring secure access to medical records.

Finance:

• Automated Customer Support - to manage customer inquiries, reducing the burden on human agents.
• Fraud Detection - to identify and alert about suspicious activities.

HR:

• Filtering candidates - for finding the best matches among employees for a specific job position.
• Corporative knowledge management - for navigation within a company’s internal database for the employees

Entertainment:

• Chatbot - for communication and fun purposes.
• Playlist generation - to create a playlist based on a prompt.

Content production (music, video, images, text):

• Assistant in creation of any content - to generate content fast using prompt.
• Automated editing - to improve the content using.

Top ChatGPT plugins

As of August 2023, the ChatGPT Plugin store features almost 1,000 available plugins, with more on the horizon. Developers are embracing OpenAI's rules and platform, actively incorporating existing websites and services into ChatGPT. This means we can look forward to many new plugins being added in the next few months.

Let’s look at those that became the most popular:

• Expedia - helps to create a perfect trip
• Kayak - searches and books the best tickets to any destination
• Instacart - personalized recommendations and shopping in local stores
• Klarna - provides price comparison for products from multiple stores
• Speak - helps translate or learn any foreign language
• OpenTable - finds best restaurants and offers links to make a reservation
• Khanmigo - personalized online AI tutoring
• Zapier - interacts with 5,000 apps including Gmail and Salesforce to automate mundane tasks
• Wolfram - gives access to data science materials
• Ambition - a job search assistant that finds perfect job matches
• There is an AI for that - finds the AI tools that suits a specific task
• PromptPerfect - creates the perfect prompt based on your draft
• AskYourPDF - reads and extracts valuable info from PDFs
• ScholarAI - searches for academic papers to find necessary information

Additionally, OpenAI manages two of their own plugins directly— a web browser and a code interpreter - definitely worth trying. They’ve also made the code for a knowledge base retrieval plugin publicly available. Developers can use this code to host their own version of the plugin and enhance ChatGPT with specific information.

What are the current limitations of ChatGPT plugins?

ChatGPT plugins are still in a beta version, which means that they are at the experimental phase. Users should anticipate potential bugs, glitches, or unpredictable issues as part of this testing phase. This status underscores the ongoing development and the need for user feedback to improve plugin performance and reliability.

Here are three significant limitations and considerations that users and developers should be mindful of:

Limited number of active plugins

It is possible to use only 3 plugins at once. Otherwise, technology gets confused and can’t provide adequate answers.

Inaccuracy of responses

Users should be aware that the chatbot's plugin-powered responses may not always offer a complete or accurate depiction of the available options. In some cases, the chatbot might omit specific requests if it doesn't identify suitable choices within the plugin data. This limitation could result in an incomplete understanding of certain queries.

For example, Skift article points out the following mistakes when using plugins for traveling:

• The chatbot mistakenly claimed there were no direct flights between New York City and Grand Rapids, Michigan, when there actually are. A similar misrepresentation occurred regarding hotel availability in Traverse City, Michigan.
• It generated an itinerary that didn't take into account flight options it had just mentioned, so users must specify which days within their trip are available for activities.
• The chatbot omitted providing links to suggested trains through the Omio plugin but later rectified this after being prompted.

Security concerns

Independent security researcher Johann Rehberger has highlighted potential security vulnerabilities associated with ChatGPT's plugins. These concerns range from the extraction of chat history and personal data to the possibility of remote code execution on users' systems. Rehberger's findings emphasize the importance of addressing security gaps within the plugin ecosystem to safeguard user data and privacy.

This means that despite plugins creating new advantages for business we still need to be cautious about using them.

Why build a ChatGPT plugin for your business?

If done correctly, building a ChatGPT plugin can be truly beneficial for your business. Here are some reasons why:

• Distinguishing Feature: Crafting a plugin sets you apart by providing distinctive ChatGPT-powered functions, granting a competitive edge over rivals.
• Enhanced Value: A ChatGPT plugin increases your product's appeal by furnishing added features, catering to precise customer requirements, and creating contentment and loyalty.
• New Markets: Through a ChatGPT plugin, you can venture into fresh markets or specific industries benefiting from AI conversational capabilities, broadening your customer base and revenue potential.
• Revenue Streams: Monetize plugins directly via premium add-ons or subscriptions, offering extra value to retain and attract customers for your core offerings.
• Collaboration Prospects: Plugin development fosters partnerships with other companies for potential integration, amplifying exposure and collaborative opportunities.
• Innovation and Insight: Creating plugins boosts innovation by addressing customer pain points, unveiling trends, and tapping into emerging market needs.

Now you are sure to create your own plugin. So how to create a value proposition for it?

According to HBR, there are a few ways for leveraging ChatGPT's value proposition considering innovation:

1. Exploiting a Current Value Proposition

Companies enhance their existing value proposition with ChatGPT. Example: Instacart's core value is quick, affordable grocery delivery. Instacart integrated ChatGPT to streamline ordering by suggesting recipes and creating orders.

Start by engaging with ChatGPT without specific customer problems. Understand ChatGPT's core functions and make connections to relevant problems. Leverage ChatGPT's natural language capabilities to enhance text-based interactions. Opportunities emerge as ChatGPT's functions expand.

2. Expanding the Existing Value Proposition

Companies use ChatGPT to solve new problems that complement their offerings. Example: Khan Academy expanded its education mission with Khanmigo AI tutor. It helps provide personalized lessons to students and transform education in general.

Define value proposition elements: customer goals, context, target demographic. Assess how ChatGPT can expand each element. Apply brainstorming techniques to the problem itself, not just the solution. Remain open-minded in conditions of uncertainty. Collaborate with trusted partners to navigate ambiguity and take risks.

3. Exploring a New Value Proposition

Companies create entirely new value propositions with ChatGPT. Steve Jobs' perspective is applicable here: customers may not know what they need until shown. Example: Apple's Release of iMac or OpenAI's release of ChatGPT.

Converge on a single problem from many identified. When customer needs are unknown, focus can be elusive. Greatest uncertainty requires cautious pursuit.

These are strategies for companies to innovate using ChatGPT, whether by enhancing existing value propositions, expanding into new problem-solving areas, or creating entirely novel propositions. Each way requires a unique approach, from understanding ChatGPT's capabilities to navigating uncertainty and collaborating effectively to maximize the potential of this AI technology.

How to build a plugin for ChatGPT?

You will have several steps on your way to developing the plugin:

Discovery phase

Examine market trends to gain insights into the types of plugins in demand. When crafting a plugin for an existing business, consider how you can elevate its utility or offer additional value. To achieve this, delve deeper into the problem you aim to solve by conducting customer interviews. Explore potential solutions by studying competitors and alternatives. Generate creative ideas through brainstorming. Consolidate your findings and transform them into a comprehensive System Requirements Specification (SRS).

Subsequently, assemble a proficient team capable of collaborating effectively with AI technology.

Building the API for Your Plugin

This is the most essential step that defines the course of the entire project. When creating a ChatGPT plugin, APIs serve as the backbone for interaction. Developing an API involves choosing between new or existing ones, adhering to RESTful conventions for scalability, and ensuring data is returned in JSON format for compatibility and readability.

Creating the OpenAPI Specification

The crucial next step is crafting an OpenAPI Specification (OAS). The OAS serves as a standardized description of the API's functionalities, endpoints, parameters, and expected responses. This specification facilitates ChatGPT's efficient interaction with the API, ensuring seamless integration and performance.

OAS can be written in YAML or JSON format, each with distinct characteristics. Detailed documentation of endpoints, request parameters, expected responses, and error messages is essential for successful OAS creation. This process fosters innovation and interoperability within your organization's systems.

Crafting the Plugin Manifest

The Plugin Manifest conveys essential details about plugin purpose and interaction with the system. This JSON file contains information such as plugin name, description, API specification, authentication method, logo, and contact details. Creating the Plugin Manifest involves generating an ai-plugin.json file adhering to ChatGPT's manifest schema and hosting it on your API's domain.

Critical components to include are the plugin's name, description, API specification URL, logo URL, homepage URL, authentication method, and contact information. Hosting the manifest on the API's domain at the /.well-known/ path ensures seamless integration with ChatGPT.

Testing and Debugging Your Plugin

Ensuring a thoroughly tested and bug-free ChatGPT plugin is crucial for its reliability. Testing involves evaluating the plugin's functionality under controlled conditions, while debugging tackles issues that arise. Local testing, done by running the API on a local server and installing the plugin via ChatGPT's interface, lets you interact with it in a controlled setup.

Debugging is essential during this phase. Remote testing, following local testing success, involves deploying the API and manifest file to a server, testing the plugin's real-world performance, and addressing any issues that surface.

Refining Your Plugin

Enhance clarity in descriptions and instructions for optimal ChatGPT interaction. Optimize performance by trimming response size, caching, and efficient query parameters. Incorporate user feedback to tailor the plugin to real-world enterprise needs.

Deploying Your Plugin

Ensure testing, optimization, complete documentation, and user feedback integration before deploying to a secure server. Host the ai-plugin.json file, verify accessibility, install via ChatGPT interface, and establish monitoring and support for post-deployment. Similar to product launch, plugin deployment requires profound preparation and ongoing oversight.

Conclusion

Creating a ChatGPT plugin for your business is a smart move. It can open up new opportunities, bring in tech advancements, and help you stand out from the competition.

But, remember, these plugins are still in testing, so they have some limits. However, many companies have already used them successfully to give their customers a great experience.

In this article, we also discussed the steps to make a plugin. The most important and time-consuming step is building an API, but with a skilled team, it's manageable. So, go ahead, explore the potential, and embrace a future with improved customer engagement and innovation. And we are here to help you with it.