On Tuesday, Microsoft Corp commenced the rollout of numerous AI enhancements, extending to ChatGPT, its search engine Bing, and cloud services. This extensive release aims to bridge the divide between Microsoft and Alphabet Inc's Google, bringing them closer together.
The launch of live search results from Bing to ChatGPT is one of several significant changes, the popular chatbot from its partner OpenAI, whose original responses were only informational as of 2021.
The company announced at its annual conference of Microsoft Build that ChatGPT will soon allow free users to get Bing web results in addition to premium members.
Additionally, the company is expanding its range of plug-ins for Bing, adopting a widely accepted standard supported by OpenAI. This move enables businesses to engage with consumers more seamlessly within the search engine, facilitating smoother transactions.
Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft's consumer chief marketing officer, explained that, as an example, one of these tools can assist a web user in search of dinner ideas by providing a suggested recipe along with the necessary ingredients. With a single click, the user can then proceed to order those ingredients from Instacart, streamlining the process.
He stated in an interview that this development represents a profound transformation in the way people will utilize the web.
When questioned about the possibility of Microsoft selling ad placements linked to the plug-ins, Mehdi responded that the company has not yet reached that stage. However, he acknowledged that "the model for how people acquire customers is changing."
Microsoft is attempting to increase its share of the projected $286 billion global market for search advertising with the upgrades to Bing.
Similar to Microsoft, Google recently debuted generative AI improvements for its search engine that use historical data to learn how to react to open-ended questions for which the web does not provide a clear solution.
It's still unclear which improved search engine users prefer because Google hasn't yet made its modifications publicly available. However, ChatGPT's sole rival, the Bard chatbot, is already accessible and offers responses based on Google search results.
Mehdi responded that the products offer distinct experiences, but that Microsoft would gain in either case because citations in ChatGPT drive traffic to Bing. When asked if ChatGPT will replace Microsoft's Bing given that it incorporates recent information from the web.
Businesses may now create plug-ins that link to Microsoft 365 Copilot, the company's AI helper for organizations, thanks to new cloud service features.
According to Microsoft, a plug-in may allow a staff member to ask the AI in plain English to plan travel or to clarify legal matters pertaining to vendor contracts. Microsoft wants to make it easier for businesses to customize their own AI copilots.
In addition, Microsoft announced that it will be providing a preview of an AI assistant, or copilot, to select users of its widely used Windows operating system, beginning in June. The company also revealed its efforts to assist consumers in verifying whether an image or video was generated by AI, similar to a recent announcement made by Google.