What you need to know
- Microsoft is reportedly beginning a test for an "AI Search" mode in Bing, which leverages its Copilot AI software.
- AI Search will see the bot summarized the information it discovered to fulfill your query on a page that simulates a more conversational experience.
- AI Search forgoes website links, similar to what Google was spotted with for its "AI Mode" backed by a "custom" Gemini 2.0 model.
Microsoft is reportedly beginning to test an experimental search results mode for users backed by its AI software.
In a statement, Microsoft confirmed the start of this "AI-powered search mode" to Windows Latest; however, the company declined to explain further (via 9to5Google). The publication turned to an unnamed source, which provided more insight into how Bing's "AI Search" could work once it's rolled out.
A key aspect of this mode is the engine will leverage Microsoft's Copilot software for a view that's loaded with all the information a user could want for a subject.
The publication states Copilot will "summarize" everything about the user's question without the user needing to scour the web. When receiving answers, AI Search will provide a brief explainer before diving into organized pieces of information. The post states when asking about the safety of "Windows 11 24H2," AI Search broke things down by "update safety, risks, and compatibility checks."
Bing's AI Search view will supposedly be clean, offering only your question with the AI and the results that follow. Early tests show the right side will offer tabs for "Images" and "Video," while the UI's bottom gives you suggested (relevant) follow-up questions and the ability to write one yourself.
The publication's source highlights another key aspect of "AI Search:" the removal of all website links. Supposedly, the Copilot AI will do all of the heavy lifting, sourcing information for users and displaying it in a digestible format.
Moreover, Copilot will cite where it got its information at the end of its summary. Users can click on them for fact-checking, similar to what Google's done with AI Overviews.
The biggest thing about Microsoft's confirmed "AI Search" development is that it mirrors what Google is reportedly creating for Search. Earlier this month, a report surfaced stating Google was working on an "AI Mode" for Search, which mirrors a typical conversation with Gemini. This "alternate" mode will supposedly offer organized answers with defined headers for "complex questions."
Users can swap to this mode, likely in the same manner as you would switch to see image results or news.
The rumored example of Google's AI Mode is reminiscent of what we've seen rumored for Microsoft Bing. The page will be void of site links, only offering the information discovered/summarized by a "custom" version of the Gemini 2.0 model.
Regarding Microsoft, the company launched Copilot in January 2024 with OpenAI's GPT-4 and DALLE-3 models as its backbone. It's also worth noting Microsoft nabbed Google's DeepMind co-founder last year to further its new journey into AI. Mustafa Suleyman was brought on to oversee everything dealing with Microsoft AI, meaning what's coming up via "AI Search" could be the fruit of their hard work.
