Microsoft has announced major updates to its Bing Chat and Edge web browsers, with the aim of enhancing user experience and making searches more efficient. Among the changes is the removal of the Bing search engine waitlist, making it open to anybody with a Microsoft account.
In addition, the company has added an “actions” function that allows users to execute tasks without having to switch between sites. Users may utilize Microsoft’s Bing AI to discover a restaurant reservation time, make reservations, or search for a movie and have it picked and played for them.
Microsoft is additionally working on multimodal support, allowing users to upload photos and search for specific information. The company is also introducing the ability to save Bing chats and pause conversations, with the option to re-enter where the chat was left off. Improved summarization will also be added to Bing, giving it an advantage in compiling PDFs, documents, and long websites.
Microsoft plans to open up Bing Chat to third parties and support plugins, allowing developers to use plugins in Bing Chat. OpenTable and Wolfram Alpha will be joining forces with OpenAI to make this possible. With Bing Chat surpassing 100 million daily active users and 500 million total chats since its launch, Microsoft’s move to add third-party plugins and multimodal support could be a game changer for reinventing search and advancing developer opportunities in search.
The new changes will be available in a few weeks, and Microsoft hopes to provide additional information about them at its Microsoft Build conference later this month. Microsoft expects that by releasing these updates, it will be able to improve its user experience and acquire a competitive advantage in the search engine industry.
