Microsoft has launched an AI-enhanced version of their Bing search engine built by OpenAI, the company responsible for ChatGPT. The new Bing puts an emphasis on conversational UI and natural language to make searches simpler and more natural. Microsoft is holding the event, which they announced Monday, at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington.
Microsoft claims that the new Bing uses a next-generation language model that is both more powerful than ChatGPT and more suited to the search task at hand. Furthermore, Microsoft and OpenAI are working together on an exclusive set of capabilities and methodologies for the language model’s interaction with Bing. Microsoft is using a set of methods dubbed “Prometheus” to better tailor the results it returns for natural-language inquiries by drawing on its own knowledge of how the online search works.
Microsoft performed a number of queries to showcase the capabilities of the new Bing, including one in which the company asked the search engine to evaluate the relative merits of the works of many prominent Mexican painters. When that happens, a card on the right side of the search results will provide further information about the artist and their most well-known works. This has the potential to provide faster results, allowing users to rapidly get the information they need without altering their queries to fit the standard operation of search engines. The new Bing search bar allows for searches of up to 1000 characters, making it ideal for natural language and complicated questions.
The new Bing also has a chat feature, whereby the user experience is more akin to a messaging app than a traditional search engine results page. If you ask Bing a question or request assistance with trip planning, for instance, it will provide you with a comprehensive list of potential activities to engage in throughout your vacation. To make the trip planning process easier, you can also ask Bing to make an itinerary that you can send to your loved ones.
However, this language model’s use extends beyond the Bing search engine. The Edge web browser will soon have this artificial intelligence thanks to Microsoft. You may get this knowledge while using Edge by accessing the new Bing sidebar on the right. If you’re perusing a company’s financial report and want to know more about operating profit, for instance, you may ask Bing to highlight the most relevant sections. Then, without more digging, you may ask Bing to show you the financial figures of another firm for a direct comparison. If you’d want to compare results side by side, you can even ask Bing to do so in a table.
Bing now has a Compose tab that may be used to help you compose a text or social media message. Using the panel, you may instruct Bing to produce a text in the tone and format you want, up to a certain length. You may then tweak the post as much as you want to make it your own.
Similarly, Microsoft is increasing its focus on ethical AI. The business claims that, as with all of its other AI deployments, this new Bing experience is protected by robust safety models. For instance, the language model may recognize when a person is potentially plotting illicit action and take preventative measures.
As of today, the new Bing experience is available in preview form on the web and in Edge. It might be a bit before you get to view it.
