In a groundbreaking move, Microsoft and OpenAI have joined forces to launch a new AI-powered Edge browser and Bing search engine that is both cutting-edge and chatty!
The latest version of the OpenAI language model, GPT-4, will be integrated into the revamped Bing search engine and Edge browser, allowing users to ask questions and receive essay-like answers similar to what is produced by ChatGPT. According to the companies, the new AI-powered search capability will generate eerily similar to responses generated by ChatGPT.
With its new chat functionality, the Edge browser has been updated with AI capabilities and a new look and feel. The Edge Sidebar allows users to ask for summaries of lengthy financial reports and then use the chat function to compare with competing companies’ financials, automatically displaying the data in a table. The browser also has a “compose” function, where users can ask Edge to help compose content, such as a LinkedIn post, by providing a few prompts to get started.
Edge will then adapt to the viewed web page and update the post’s tone, format, and length accordingly.
Microsoft and OpenAI have taken steps to prevent the promotion of harmful or discriminatory content in line with their AI principles and to defend against harmful content such as misinformation and disinformation.
Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, stated that AI is “going to reshape the largest software category on planet earth” and that the new partnership with OpenAI is the beginning of a “new paradigm for search.”
The new GPT-4-powered Bing will provide in-depth answers to user questions and offer interactive chat, empowering users to refine their search until they receive the complete answer they are looking for.
While Microsoft is not typically a leader in consumer technologies like search, mobile, and social media, the company’s exclusive partnership with OpenAI is expected to bring more disruptive opportunities in the consumer technologies business through AI as an assistive technology. Jason Wong, a distinguished vice president and software design and development analyst with Gartner Research, stated that most of Microsoft’s customers will be “a bit more conservative in using the generative AI capabilities” and that the company will need to showcase well-thought-out patterns and help its customers with training and upskilling business users to take advantage of AI properly.
Google is also entering the AI race with an upgrade to its search engine capabilities and a new chatbot called Bard, powered by Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA). However, according to Wong, Google was caught off-guard by the success of ChatGPT, which reached one million users in just five days. Gartner predicts that the market for AI software will reach nearly $134.8 billion by 2025, with market growth expected to accelerate from 14.4% in 2021 to 31.1% in 2025. As the race to dominate the AI market heats up, it will be interesting to see how Microsoft and Google play to their respective strengths in the coming years.