Bing rolls out AI-powered search experience in the U.S.

In the news: Bing has introduced a new generative AI search feature for U.S. users, integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) to deliver dynamic, AI-generated responses alongside traditional search results. While still in development, the feature aims to improve search efficiency by summarizing information from multiple sources.

Why it matters: Bing's move into AI-driven searching follows a similar initiative by Google that faced criticism for inaccuracy and ethical concerns.

• Bing's generative search combines AI and LLMs with traditional search results to balance innovation and reliability.
• The system reviews millions of sources, dynamically matches content, and generates search results in a new layout.

The big picture: Since launching LLM-powered chat answers in early 2023, Microsoft has incrementally evolved Bing's search experience. The latest updates enhance complex query handling and introduce a more interactive layout.

• Early data indicates that AI-generated search hasn't reduced clicks to original websites.
• Traditional search results remain prominently displayed alongside AI-generated content.

Zoom in: Users can access Bing's generative AI search by typing "Bing generative search" or by using an option for informational queries. AI-generated summaries can also be dismissed in favor of traditional results.

• For example, searching "What is a spaghetti western?" provides an AI-generated deep dive into the film subgenre with links for further exploration.

Between the lines: The rollout raises concerns surrounding AI-generated content, particularly search results providing incorrect or harmful information, similar to issues seen with Google's AI Overviews.

• AI-generated overviews may reduce traffic to original content sources by de-emphasizing article links.
• Microsoft is monitoring the impact on publisher traffic, with early data showing minimal impact on link clicks.

What's next: The rollout is being done slowly to test, gather input, and improve the experience before broader availability. Users are encouraged to provide their insights using the Feedback icon's thumbs up/down on the search results page.