Bing Chat is now offering users the ability to turn off its search engine capabilities, allowing it to be used strictly as a chatbot. This is a surprising move, as Bing Chat is already powered by ChatGPT, according to a report by Tech Radar.
However, Windows Latest has reported that they found the new mode to be just as good as OpenAI’s signature AI model, generating responses faster with the search integration turned off. However, they noted that the AI would sometimes provide outdated information depending on the query.
In a test, Bing Chat was asked about the latest version of Windows 11, and it incorrectly answered version 21H2. However, it was able to accurately provide information about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, suggesting that the chat mode has been trained using recent data.
The move to disable search mode seems to aim at providing faster responses, but it has raised concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the chatbot. Microsoft is also planning to introduce support for third-party plugins in the chatbot, enhancing conversations with features like restaurant recommendations.
However, critics question whether disabling search capabilities may result in less accurate responses, pointing out that this move may be a step backward for Microsoft. They argue that the trend in AI development is to create models with better accuracy, not worse.
Microsoft is expected to provide more information about this update at the upcoming Ignite event, where they will reveal “what’s next in [AI] technology” starting on November 15. It remains to be seen how the new offline mode for Bing Chat will be received by users.
I have over 10 years of experience in the cryptocurrency industry and I have been on the list of the top authors on LinkedIn for the past 5 years.