Will Microsoft Bing outplay Google’s Bard?

Will Microsoft Bing outplay Google’s Bard?Jolted by the outstanding success of ChatGPT, Google launched Bard, its AI-powered chatbot. Microsoft countered two days later with its AI-powered Bing search engine and Edge browser. Will Google succumb to, or prevail over, the onslaught of OpenAI and Microsoft?

Is this a battle for AI supremacy?

Twitter was abuzz on Wednesday over AI radically reworking chatting, looking, and browsing. Futurist and writer of Rise of the Robots, Martin Ford, tweeted: “A Tech Race Begins as Microsoft Adds #AI to Its Search Engine”. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is based on a transformer model called GPT-3.5 but Google pioneered transformer models. Google’s Bard, yet to be integrated with Google Search, is powered by its Language Model for Dialogue Applications, which a former Google engineer said had become sentient. Bing countered with a ChatGPT-like search version and an AI-powered Edge browser. The AI war has just begun.

Will this change search engines, browsers?

So far, search engines have displayed an array of results best suited to answer a user’s query. With the inclusion of a chat interface, users may simply ask a question instead of scouting through scores of links. The use of such AI could also change how search engine optimization (SEO) works for websites, since they will now seek to provide the ‘best’ answer to a query instead of simply appearing at the top of Search results. For browsers, the AI could become value adds, where they will display additional or related information, or even summarize a document you’re viewing automatically.

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With the inclusion of a chat interface, users may simply ask a question instead of scouting through scores of links

Can we access the new Bard and Bing?

Google’s Bard is currently open only to “trusted users”, whereas anybody can entry Bing.com to pattern queries or be a part of the waitlist. You can use Microsoft’s Edge browser’s “compose” and “chat” options too. Microsoft plans to quickly introduce it on mobiles too. It has a waitlist to entry the total model of the brand new Bing. For now, you possibly can solely entry preset queries.

Will this carry digital advert income for Microsoft?

Google leads search engine, browser, and digital advert markets. Microsoft recorded $18 billion income from digital promoting in CY22 versus Google’s $168.44 billion internet income in the identical interval. Chrome has about 65% of the browser market whereas Edge has a mere 4.5%, in keeping with Statcounter. Google tops the search engine market with a whopping 89% share versus Bing’s 4.55%. But Microsoft feels its modified Bing and Edge will assist it “innovate at a larger tempo due to the smaller market share”.

What are the challenges?

Experts say ‘smart’ platforms like ChatGPT can provide ‘incorrect’ and ‘nonsensical’ solutions, inflicting extra misinformation. Microsoft says it has in-built classifiers to its AI to keep away from biases when utilizing Bing for search, however there’s a necessity for AI governance insurance policies. Further, there may very well be questions on how publishers might be paid for Microsoft or Google utilizing the identical content material. Search engines want to make sure that they proceed driving visitors to web sites, as an alternative of merely capturing the consumer inside their very own walled gardens.

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