Microsoft has announced significant advancements in its AI-powered Bing search engine and Edge browser, promising a more powerful, visual, and productive search experience.
The next generation of Bing and Edge aims to address the issue of nearly half of all web searches going unanswered, providing more accurate search results, natural language interaction, and a more user-friendly experience.
In 90 days, customers have engaged in over half a billion chats, with Bing now serving over 100 million daily active users.
The new Bing combines the powerful capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT-4 with Microsoft’s search index, providing current, cited, and conversational results. As a result, Bing has seen eight consecutive quarters of growth, with daily installs of the Bing mobile app increasing fourfold since its launch. This growth is expected to continue with the introduction of Bing to the Windows taskbar, reaching over half a billion customers each month.
Small business owners can benefit from Bing’s move from Limited Preview to Open Preview, allowing users to access the platform without a waitlist. Simply sign in to Bing using your Microsoft Account to experience the improved search capabilities.
Visual search tools have become increasingly important, with research indicating that the human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text. Bing’s updated chat experience now includes richer, more visual answers such as charts and graphs. The integration of Bing Image Creator allows users to generate both written and visual content within chat, and it now supports over 100 languages, enabling small business owners to create images in their native language.
Microsoft Edge, the first browser to use AI and the only browser with built-in Bing, is also being redesigned. Users can expect a streamlined look, rounded corners, organized containers, and semi-transparent visual elements. As part of the expansion of multi-modal capabilities, visual search will be incorporated into chat, allowing users to upload images and search for related content.
Productivity enhancements to Bing chat include the ability to maintain access to chat history and share and export results. Small business owners can continue previous conversations and, when opening a Bing chat result, move the chat to their Edge sidebar for easy access while browsing. Over time, chats will become more personalized by integrating context from previous conversations.
These advancements in Bing and Edge can help small business owners find crucial information quickly and efficiently, making it easier to stay informed, make decisions, and grow their businesses. By embracing the next generation of AI-powered search, Microsoft continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible and improve the overall search experience for users around the world.
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