After separate pictures of the new chatbot interface leaked online, Microsoft is apparently preparing to launch an AI chatbot version of its search engine Bing. The images depict a "new Bing" that can respond to text-based queries and cite its sources. Two experimental versions of the new Bing were distributed to various users, who were able to test it and record some of their searches.


According to a report by designer and student Owen Yin, the new Bing chatbot will be located at Bing.com/new or on a waitlist. Although Microsoft has not confirmed the authenticity of the screenshots, the new Bing chatbot uses the same AI as previously rumored. In January, a report from The Verge suggested that an AI-powered Bing could be released as early as March, with OpenAI’s ChatGPT or a similar technology powering Microsoft’s Office products.


In one example shared by a user named Nazmul Hossain, Bing broke down the query, “Is Microsoft Bing opened the chat feature worldwide?” into its component nouns and strung together a response based on information from several sources, including LinkedIn, MSN, and Techspot. The response cited the sources and provided links to further information.


THIS MORNING I WAS EXPERIENCING THE CHAT FEATURE OF MICROSOFT BING SEARCH AND THEN A FEW MOMENTS LATER DISAPPEARED IT. PIC.TWITTER.COM/KSA7RMPMLY




However, Owen Yin’s post did not show this behavior. Hossain and Yin posted the same screenshot of the “new Bing” with an option to either search as a traditional search or as a chatbot response. The key difference between ChatGPT and Microsoft’s new Bing is that ChatGPT’s knowledge only goes up to 2021, while Bing’s knowledge is up-to-date and can answer recent questions, according to Yin.


BING'S CHATGPT INTEGRATION JUST APPEARED FOR ME. REPLACES THE SEARCH BAR WITH A COMPOSER FOR NATURAL-LANGUAGE QUESTIONS PIC.TWITTER.COM/NXZ0K9O92C


— OWEN YIN (@OWEN_YIN) FEBRUARY 3, 2023


Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently claimed that the business intends to lead the "age of AI" by deploying its models across consumer and enterprise goods. With Microsoft's investment in OpenAI and Nadella's statements, the tech behemoth is preparing to push AI as a search tool in the near future.




It is unclear when Microsoft will formally unveil its AI-powered Bing. Nonetheless, the corporation is significantly investing in AI technology in order to improve its search engine and advance in the age of AI. The incorporation of AI technology into search engines is likely to provide users with a new level of ease and efficiency in their search experience. It will be interesting to observe how Microsoft's new Bing compares to its market competitors.