Microsoft launches AI-powered Bing on mobile devices

The new Bing, an AI-powered answering engine Microsoft launched just over two weeks ago, is now available on the Bing mobile app and the Microsoft Edge browser on iOS and Android.

On Wednesday, Microsoft announced it would be sharing the preview release of the new Bing and Edge mobile apps. The app features new capabilities, such as voice input and a new chat experience in Skype, to enhance social communications with friends and families. 

“Because we know 64% of searches occur on mobile phones, we are releasing all new Bing and Edge mobile apps to serve as your copilot for the web even when you are away from your desktop,” Microsoft said in a statement.

The mobile app comes just two weeks after Microsoft launched the AI-enabled Bing search engine on desktop. It allows users to use voice input to interact with the AI-powered chatbot, while the Skype tool brings Bing into text conversations to contribute additional information. 

Users can add Bing to any chat on Skype by typing “@Bing” and ask the same questions as in the AI chat mode. Added features on mobile include users choosing whether they want answers to appear as text, bullet points, or in the form of a simplified response.

Microsoft launching the new Bing on mobile comes as no surprise, as users who installed the mobile Bing app gained priority on the company’s waitlist for access to new features.

Early, controversial days for Bing AI

Microsoft’s chatbot is based on a more powerful version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The company joined the much-talked-about AI chatbot race earlier this year, competing with Alphabet’s Bard chatbot and China’s Baidu.

The Bing chatbot came under fire during its first two weeks, with reports emerging about the AI becoming confused, stumbling over prompts and mixing up answers.

However, Microsoft appears to be leading the race. Earlier this month, Alphabet’s value plummeted by $163 billion as its own chatbot misfired in a demo, answering questions with inaccuracy in front of a large audience. Many people reported that Bard felt rushed or unfinished. 

It’s still early in the AI race and will likely only be a while before Microsoft’s competitors launch a mobile equivalent. 

It remains a matter of time – and much more experimentation – before a clear winner of the AI chatbot competition emerges. If such a thing ever does happen.

Next, read how to use AI to become productive right now and our guide to making GPT-3 work for you.