How to get Microsoft's new AI-enhanced Bing

Microsoft reveals AI-powered edge browser and bing search engine with desktop limited preview available for users


Reuters February 08, 2023

Microsoft Corp on Tuesday unveiled a juiced-up version of its Bing search engine and Edge Web browser, powered by an upgraded version of ChatGPT's underlying technology.

The launch is limited to a "desktop limited preview" available on Tuesday.

Users will need to go to this link and sign in to a Microsoft account to get on a waitlist to access Bing search.

To jump the line, Microsoft said users can set Bing as the default search engine on their PC and scan a QR code to download the Bing Search app on your phone.

The viral success of OpenAI's chatbot ChatGPT, which is on track to be the fastest-growing app in history, has prompted Big Tech companies to rush out new offerings.

Here is how Microsoft has integrated the technology from OpenAI, in which Microsoft first invested in 2019, into Bing and Edge.

  • During the limited preview stage, users will only be able to try pre-set queries, a Microsoft spokesperson told Reuters. Free-form queries will be available at a later date.
  • Bing's AI can now sift through search results and synthesize the findings to answer complex queries in a chatbot window. What to replace eggs with in a cake? Microsoft aims to get users the answer without scrolling through multiple results.
  • The revamped Edge browser features a sidebar with a range of AI features, while another mode allows users to interact with Bing in the familiar ChatGPT-like chat interface.
  • For more complex searches, such as planning a detailed trip itinerary or researching a TV set to buy, users can refine their search by asking more details through the Bing chat. It will also throw up purchase links to the products and experiences users arrive at.
  • Bing can generate content like emails - including translations of them - social media posts, job interview notes and even a five-day itinerary for a trip to Hawaii or a quiz for trivia night. It will also cite its sources so consumers can read more on the Web.
  • The revamped Edge sidebar adds "chat" and "compose" features. "Chat" allows users to summarize any given Web page or document and seek information related to its content. "Compose" allows users to generate content for social media posts or emails based on a few prompts.

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