Microsoft announced it is pushing to integrate generative AI features into all of its products. And is opening the ChatGPT-powered Bing chatbot to an open preview so anyone can use it with Bing and Edge.

The next wave is AI-centric. And the new and enhanced Bing is rolling out just three months after Microsoft introduced it. This big push reflects Microsoft's commitment to quickly adding AI features to all of its products.

It is an economic priority at Microsoft. And the company claims that every percentage point of search market share Bing can take from Google is worth an estimated $2 billion in annual ad revenue.

 Google's Bing Chat competitor, Bard is having lots of problems. Googlers aren’t happy with the buggy program. And are voicing their discontent. There is also a growing feeling that Google search isn't getting the good results it once did.

 Microsoft has been sitting in second place for a decade and they want to be number 1.

Bing and Edge are already integrated. And Microsoft is also introducing generative AI features into Windows 11's taskbar, Skype, and GitHub. They also preview a Copilot feature to help automate document and email creation in Microsoft 365. Apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams will get an AI enhancement.

Bing Chatbot Integration

The Microsoft Bing search engine is currently in its "Open Preview" phase. Users have free access to the chatbot and other features. All you need is a Microsoft account. 

One of the latest features that Bing Chat is implementing is the ability to generate charts and graphs as part of its answers. This makes data reporting a lot more visual.

The Bing Image Creator will be available in all 100-plus languages supported by Bing. And a new “see and search” feature will allow users to search for images by uploading a similar image to Bing Chat first.

Microsoft is also working to expand the amount of history and context that Bing Chat can access. This allows users to return to previous chat sessions and keep chats open while browsing in Edge. As a result, chats will become more personalized as Bing Chat brings context from previous conversations into new ones.

Along with all these innovations, Microsoft is planning to turn Bing Chat into a "platform" which supports third-party plugins. These plugins will allow users to extend the chatbot's capabilities. And the initial partners include OpenTable and Wolfram|Alpha for making reservations and extending the chatbot's math and science abilities.

More information on creating plugins for Bing Chat will be announced at Microsoft's Build developer conference in late May.

Microsoft is committed to its "AI principles" and approach to responsible AI. And it will continue its rapid rollout of AI-powered features for Bing.