Bing ChatGPT: Microsoft unveils AI

Unlike Bard, which is currently used only by "trusted testers", everyone can visit Bing.com to try sample queries and sign up for the waitlist, Microsoft said in a blog post. While the AI-powered Bing is available today only in a limited preview on desktop, the company will roll out the preview to millions in the coming weeks.

"We’re excited to put the new Bing and Edge into the real world to get the critical feedback required to improve our models as we scale," Microsoft wrote.

Bing has a conversational style similar to ChatGPT

Microsoft has provided a preview of some examples of what the tool can be asked for, such as help plan my special anniversary trip, what art ideas I can do with my kid, help me find a pet, and so on. As evident, Bing will be conversational and respond like ChatGPT. Bing "reviews results across the web to find and summarize the answer you’re looking for".

However, Microsoft claims that the new Bing is running on a new, next-generation OpenAI large language model that is "more powerful" than ChatGPT. "It takes key learnings and advancements from ChatGPT and GPT-3.5 – and it is even faster, more accurate, and more capable," the company wrote. "We’ve also applied the AI model to our core Bing search ranking engine, which led to the largest jump in relevance in two decades."

Similarly, the Edge browser has been powered with new AI capabilities with Chat and Compose functions. According to Microsoft, for example, you can ask for a summary of a lengthy financial report using the Edge Sidebar and then use the chat function to ask for a comparison to a rival company's financials. Edge can also be used to compose content such as a LinkedIn post.

The AI race begins now

The arrival of ChatGPT has triggered an AI arms race between tech behemoths. In addition to Google releasing Bard, China's Baidu also revealed the release of a generative AI chatbot based on a language model bigger than GPT-3.

"This is just the first step on the AI front ... as [the] AI arms race takes place among Big Tech," analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities said in a note to investors after the announcement. He added that Microsoft's investment would " "massively boost" the firm's ability to compete.