Since its debut in November 2022, ChatGPT has made countless headlines as one of the most groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence. But for OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT, it’s just the start.
Just this year, OpenAI announced the rollout of their highly-anticipated ChatGPT plugins. The launch includes third-party plugins hosted by Slack, Zapier, WolframAlpha, and more. It also includes two plugins hosted by OpenAI: a web browsing plugin and a code interpreter plugin.
We’re zooming in on OpenAI’s code interpreter plugin, an AI tool that’s poised to change the way people interact with code. Whether you're a programmer, data scientist, or simply someone who works with code regularly, the ChatGPT code interpreter plugin is a powerful tool to have at your fingertips.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- What the ChatGPT code interpreter is
- Which languages it supports
- Ways to use the code interpreter
- How to install it
Let’s begin!
What is the ChatGPT code interpreter?
As mentioned above, the ChatGPT code interpreter is a plugin hosted by OpenAI. The plugin allows users to work with code right in the ChatGPT interface.
Here’s how OpenAI describes the plugin on their website: “We provide our models with a working Python interpreter in a sandboxed, firewalled execution environment, along with some ephemeral disk space. Code run by our interpreter plugin is evaluated in a persistent session that is alive for the duration of a chat conversation (with an upper-bound timeout) and subsequent calls can build on top of each other. We support uploading files to the current conversation workspace and downloading the results of your work.”
Note: As of July 6, 2023, ChatGPT plugins are available to all ChatGPT Plus subscribers — no waitlist required.
What programming languages does the ChatGPT code interpreter support?
At the time of writing, the ChatGPT code interpreter supports Python.
Benefits of using OpenAI’s ChatGPT code interpreter
In order to understand why the interpreter plugin is such a big deal, let’s first get back to the basics. ChatGPT is an advanced language model that’s designed to understand — and produce — natural language. ChatGPT can also “remember” what the user has said earlier in the conversation, making the chatbot’s responses more detailed, relevant, and contextual.
The plugin leverages the power of ChatGPT, so you’re now able to toggle between conversational language and code execution. Using simple language, you can instruct ChatGPT to convert files, chart graphs, analyze data, and more. And because ChatGPT can remember the entirety of a conversation, you can build upon previous messages, as opposed to being limited to one-off requests. Not only does this save you time, but it allows for a more fluid and efficient workflow.
Moreover, the ChatGPT code interpreter also makes programming more accessible to people who are new to code. Sure, computer science and IT professionals may be the first to jump on board — but the interpreter plugin has implications for a wider audience. You don’t need to know how to write code to use this plugin.
Different ways to use the ChatGPT code interpreter
There are many use cases for the interpreter plugin, but here are a few that are “especially useful,” according to OpenAI:
- Data analysis and data visualization: With the code interpreter plugin, you can upload data to ChatGPT (in the form of a CSV file, for example), then ask ChatGPT for specific insights about the dataset. For instance, “Can you list all the columns?” You can also ask ChatGPT to generate the data on different types of charts: bar graphs, pie charts, scatter plots, and more. Working with data has never been easier.
- File conversions: The ChatGPT code interpreter makes it a breeze to convert files between different formats. Just upload the file and tell the plugin what format you’d like to convert it to. Then, ask for a download link.
- Mathematical problem-solving: Save yourself time and mental energy by asking ChatGPT to perform math for you (both qualitative and quantitative). Simply input mathematical problems directly into ChatGPT, then instruct the language model to solve them. You can even request it to show its work, as opposed to just displaying the final answer.
More ways to use the ChatGPT code interpreter plugin:
- Upload an image file and ask ChatGPT to resize it
- Give ChatGPT a simple idea and ask it to create a GIF based on it (credit to Ethan Mollick for this idea)
- Use it for video editing
How to install the ChatGPT code interpreter plugin:
- Sign up for ChatGPT Plus
- Click the three dots next to your email address in the bottom-left corner of your screen
- Click Settings > Beta features
- Toggle on Plugins
Image source: OpenAI
- Start a new chat using ChatGPT-4
- Click Plugins store
- Find and install Code Interpreter
You’re all set!
Going forward
Looking for other cool ways to improve your efficiency with AI? Check out Clockwise AI at getclockwise.com/ai.
Read next, How to Simplify Meeting Scheduling with ChatGPT.
About the author
Judy Tsuei is a Simon & Schuster author, speaker, and podcast host. She’s been featured in MindBodyGreen, BBC Travel, Fast Company, Hello Giggles, and more. As the founder of Wild Hearted Words, a creative marketing agency for global brands, Judy is also a mentor with the Founder Institute, the world's largest pre-seed accelerator. Judy advocates for mental and emotional health on her popular podcast, F*ck Saving Face. Follow along her journey at WildHeartedWords.com.
