Microsoft has launched a new version of its Bing search engine that integrates ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI. The updated website, currently in preview, presents users with a familiar list of hyperlinks alongside a small box containing a response generated by the AI bot.
The overhaul represents a significant challenge to Google's dominance in web search, as the race to deploy the first AI-powered search engine intensifies. Microsoft's announcement came just 24 hours after Google unveiled its own AI tool, Bard, which similarly answers user queries and engages in conversation.
The new Bing can provide clear answers in plain language, drawing from web data and its own databases. Users can refine their queries by chatting with the bot, and the system is informed by real-time web data, allowing it to provide information on current events—unlike ChatGPT, which is limited to data from 2021. The AI can also assist with shopping by offering product information tailored to specific requirements.
Microsoft, which hosts Bing and the Edge browser, announced a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI last month. The integration of ChatGPT into Bing and Edge is the first product of this backing, unveiled at a news briefing at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington.
Within the Edge browser, a widget can summarise web pages, saving users from reading lengthy documents. The preview is currently available on desktop computers, with a mobile version expected in the coming weeks.
