Microsoft and OpenAI Incorporate Artificial Intelligence Features in Search Engines

OpenAI has introduced SearchGPT, an AI-powered search engine, while Microsoft has added AI features to its Bing search engine. Learn more about the development and its implications for the online search industry.

July 26, 2024

AI-powered Search Engine
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  • OpenAI has launched a new AI-powered search engine prototype called SearchGPT.
  • Microsoft has announced a significant update to its Bing search engine to highlight AI-powered answers to customer queries.

In a move that could redefine the online search industry, OpenAI has launched a prototype of its new AI-powered search engine, SearchGPT. Furthermore, Microsoft has upgraded its Bing search engine by integrating generative AI technologies. These developments are expected to challenge Google’s market dominance.

OpenAI’s SearchGPT

Officially announced in a blog post, SearchGPT leverages AI to provide contextual and conversational search results. The search engine’s capabilities go beyond conventional keyword matching and are expected to understand a query’s intention before providing contextually appropriate answers. SearchGPT is said to be able to break down complex queries into multiple elements and even suggest follow-up queries to refine a search further.

Currently available to 10,000 tester users, the prototype will provide features such as context awareness to handle multi-part or ambiguous queries. The search engine will also operate in a conversational manner similar to a virtual assistant. AI will also enhance search results with summaries, explanations, and relevant links for better user comprehension.

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Microsoft’s Bing AI Upgrade

Microsoft has also made significant upgrades to its Bing search engine. The new Bing, called Bing Generative Search, is integrated with generative AI to improve user experience and search performance. Some of its prominent features include:

  • AI-powered summaries: Bing can now generate summaries of search results, helping users understand the main points of the content they are researching.
  • Visual and interactive results: The search engine offers a more visual and interactive experience for users, including graphs, charts, and images, to bolster visual comprehension.
  • Personalized search: Bing can also utilize user data to provide customized search results tailored to meet user preferences based on past behavior.

How the Challengers Compare Against Google

As the dominant player in the search engine market, Google already uses artificial intelligence to an extent in its algorithms. The company has developed innovations such as the Multitask Unified Model (MUM) and Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), which are large language models that support Google’s search engine.

These advancements have brought about notable improvements to natural language processing and query interpretation to provide enhancements such as snippets to answer queries. While practical use of the new Bing and SearchGPT are yet to be measured on a broad scale, some expected comparisons include:

  • Conversational abilities: While Google’s search can effectively handle natural language queries, OpenAI’s SearchGPT focuses on an interactive, conversational approach, potentially providing a more engaging user experience.
  • Contextual understanding: Both Google’s search and OpenAI’s SearchGPT are designed to understand complex queries better. However, SearchGPT can also suggest follow-up questions and refine searches in real-time, which may offer an edge in contextual awareness.
  • Generative content: Microsoft’s Bing Generative Search has introduced AI-generated summaries and visual content, similar to Google’s features like rich snippets and knowledge panels. The competition between the two is expected to hinge on the relevance and quality of such enhancements.

The introduction of SearchGPT and the revamped Bing search engine could be a pivotal development for the search engine market. As tech giants increasingly focus on AI integration, the competition to topple Google from its throne will likely intensify. However, users will likely benefit from this as they will be offered more intuitive, sophisticated, and personalized search experiences for the foreseeable future.

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Anuj Mudaliar
Anuj Mudaliar is a content development professional with a keen interest in emerging technologies, particularly advances in AI. As a tech editor for Spiceworks, Anuj covers many topics, including cloud, cybersecurity, emerging tech innovation, AI, and hardware. When not at work, he spends his time outdoors - trekking, camping, and stargazing. He is also interested in cooking and experiencing cuisine from around the world.
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