Microsoft Previews New AI-Powered Bing Search ‘More Powerful Than ChatGPT’

Just days after Google introduced Bard, its artificial-intelligence chatbot, to the world, Microsoft is ramping up the by previewing a new, supercharged version of its Bing search engine and Edge browser.

According to the company, 10 billion search queries are entered every day, but an estimated half of them go unanswered. This is due to individuals using search engines incorrectly, entering questions that are too complex, or expecting them to perform tasks that they’re not equipped for.

As such, it has revamped Bing to become an AI-powered search engine and be users’ “copilot for the web,” merging browsing and chat into a single experience that can be accessed from anywhere around the world.

“AI will fundamentally change every software category, starting with the largest category of all—search. Today, we’re launching Bing and Edge powered by AI copilot and chat, to help people get more from search and the web,” said Satya Nadella, Chairman of Microsoft.

As per the firm, the new Bing is running on a next-generation OpenAI large language model that is more powerful than ChatGPT. Customized specifically for search, the system has the ability to take away key learnings from ChatGPT and GPT-3.5, making it even faster, more accurate, and more capable than the popular tool.

The new Bing will provide better search results in the form of more relevant answers, including sports scores, stock prices, and weather updates, together with an additional sidebar with answers that go into greater detail.

Additionally, the software will be able to comb information from across the web to summarize answers to questions. For example, users can request an in-depth explanation of how to substitute eggs for other ingredients without having to click on multiple search results.

More complex searches are now welcome, with the chat integration allowing users to interact with Bing and refine searches to get a complete answer. One can follow up a search request by asking for more details, clarity, and ideas—and the chatbot will respond with appropriate links.

One interesting feature Microsoft is adding to Bing involves it being a source of creative inspiration. Not only can the search engine answer questions, but it can also generate content such as writing an email, creating a travel itinerary, or coming up with a quiz for trivia night.

Together with Bing, the Edge browser will be upgraded with two AI capabilities: chat and compose. On the Edge Sidebar, users can request the chat function for summaries of lengthy reports to focus on key takeaways, or use the compose feature to write an online post.

After inputting a few prompts, the content can then be tweaked by asking the chatbot to edit the tone, format, and length of the post. The browser will also be able to adapt to each specific webpage you’re on for the best browsing experience.

For those keen to start using the new Bing, it is now available in a limited preview on desktop. Users can try out the sample queries and sign up for the waitlist to access the full model in the coming weeks.

[via Search Engine Land and Microsoft, images via various sources]