(Reuters) – 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 ableto 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 andsynthesize the findings to answer complex queries in a chatbotwindow. What to replace eggs with in a cake? Microsoft aims toget users the answer without scrolling through multiple results. * The revamped Edge browser features a sidebar with a rangeof AI features, while another mode allows users to interact withBing in the familiar ChatGPT-like chat interface. * For more complex searches, such as planning a detailedtrip itinerary or researching a TV set to buy, users can refinetheir search by asking more details through the Bing chat. Itwill also throw up purchase links to the products andexperiences users arrive at. * Bing can generate content like emails – includingtranslations of them – social media posts, job interview notesand even a five-day itinerary for a trip to Hawaii or a quiz fortrivia night. It will also cite its sources so consumers canread more on the Web. * The revamped Edge sidebar adds “chat” and “compose”features. “Chat” allows users to summarize any given Web page ordocument and seek information related to its content. “Compose”allows users to generate content for social media posts oremails based on a few prompts.
(Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru and Jeffrey Dastin in Redmond, Wash.; Editing by Matthew Lewis)