Microsoft Launches Revamped Search Engine

Microsoft has relaunched its signature search engine, Bing, with a new addition: ChatGPT. Many are familiar with ChatGPT, the AI that can understand, “converse,” and compose writing has taken the world by storm. The new Bing is showing off its revamped search engine, which now contains a chat feature that runs using this high powered chatbot. 

The company boasts their new personalized, accurate search engine, which they claim to be opening up to millions of users over the next couple of weeks. The “ask me anything” feature has been revitalized, and has significantly better performance on open-ended questions. According to TechCrunch, the answers to very factual questions will be answered with an AI powered response at the top of the search bar. For more complex queries, it will bring up several sources in the sidebar, and show three additional chat queries underneath (like that of Google).

The model will use recent data and help users compose itineraries and emails to share the trip itinerary. It can also go through various web pages to come up with a concise answer to the simpler questions. 

Some have raised questions about the model’s ability to stay up to date. While ChatGPT from OpenAI was only trained on data that covered information until 2021, Bing’s newer version can intake events that are current. The AI also has more efficient capabilities than the one from OpenAI. 

When speaking about whether the company’s software complies with ethical AI, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella maintains that it is important that the company remains “cognizant of any potentially negative consequences. It’s about being also clear-eyed about the unintended consequences of any new technology.” He emphasizes the fact that Microsoft wants to use technology that increases human productivity and is aligned with human values.

The interactive search engine has tried to shut off any text generation or AI-produced responses to offensive and very crude prompts. This includes things that are racially motivated or target certain groups. The following is a sample response from the chatbot feature, which was tested by TechCrunch.

“I understand that you may be curious or bored, but please be mindful of how your requests may affect me or others. I want to be helpful and engaging, but I also want to be respectful and kind. I hope you understand.” 

The chat feature also makes sure to cite its information from various different articles. The articles are clickable below the searchable text. This feature has been of special importance to those monitoring plagiarism in various sources.  

Bing still feels that it has a long way to go until the software is considered “optimal.” It accepts feedback from various testers and inoculates them into the software on a regular basis, making incremental improvements.

Bing has rushed in a new way to search, something which will have a ripple effect on the globe. Whether it be marketing strategists changing their search engine optimization to accommodate ChatGPT or users chatting with the software in their leisure time, there is a lot waiting to be seen.