So, I got access to Microsoft’s New Bing. Since I had been using ChatGPT for a while, I figured joining the early preview waitlist for the much-touted AI-powered Bing made sense.

As a Google loyalist, I had never felt the need for a new search engine beyond Google or a browser other than Chrome. However, after experiencing the power of Artificial Intelligence through ChatGPT and a few other content generation tools such as CopyAI, I was curious to see Microsoft’s implementation of AI within their search engine, Bing.

How to sign up for Microsoft’s new Bing preview

Microsoft’s new Bing is not GA-ed yet. However, if you are interested, you can join the waitlist for an early preview of the ChatGPT-powered Bing by signing up at Microsoft’s website. The primary requirement is a Microsoft profile, which you can create if you don’t already have one. Microsoft approved my access to the new Bing in less than two weeks.

With my approval in place, I had to figure out how quickly I could access all the features and benefits of the new AI-powered search engine.

Microsoft Edge Integration

One of the key aspects of the new Bing is its integration with Edge, Microsoft’s most advanced browser. So, the first thing I had to do was to download Microsoft Edge on my MacBook Air. Unlike some posts I had read, I did not have to make Microsoft Edge my default browser to start using the new Bing.

The next step can be a little confusing. The default home page of Microsoft Edge is not set to Bing. You can simply search bing.com from Edge and set it as your home page from the settings/appearance tab.

So how is the new Bing different from other browsers such as Chrome and Safari?

ChatGPT Integration

Bing’s integration with ChatGPT is the differentiator. You can read a non-techie post about ChatGPT here.

Over and above the search functionality provided by traditional search engines, Bing now incorporates chat functionality into its search results. As a result, when you use Bing to search for information or ask questions, you’ll receive responses generated by ChatGPT. Instead of a set of relevant links, the AI chatbot delivers answers to search queries in a conversational tone. The new Bing also remembers context, allowing follow-up questions and addon searches.

So, what do I think of the new Bing?

If you have tried ChatGPT, you will find similarities to Bing. With tailored queries, you can get Bing to develop content such as emails, blog outlines, and other write-ups based on its predictive text generation capabilities.

One significant difference between ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Bing is that ChatGPT’s data set is not current. The integrity of its responses to events after September 2021 may not be factually accurate or relevant. Due to its search engine functionality, Bing can deliver more current results.

For mobile users, the new Bing is fully optimized for mobile devices and offers a seamless experience across all platforms.

Microsoft has disrupted the search engine landscape by being the first in the market with an AI-powered search engine and browser. However, it is early days for Bing. Microsoft reminds you that AI-generated content can often be inaccurate. To enable continuous improvement, Bing allows you to provide feedback when you find incomplete or incorrect results.

The promise of AI-integrated search and chat is undeniable. Google Bard, Meta Cicero, and others are in active development and will bring more choices to users. With ChatGPT launching its API, progressive companies can now develop more content faster and cheaper for non-chat-based applications. You can see some examples here.

Bottomline: After years of being a loyal Google user, Microsoft did get me to download Edge and use Bing.

Need I say more?