Microsoft announced yesterday it has begun testing its new Bing generative search experience – so Bing GSE (versus Google SGE). “By combining the power of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) with the search results page, Bing’s generative search creates a bespoke and dynamic response to a user’s query,” Microsoft wrote.
This is being tested on a “small percentage of user queries,” Microsoft wrote.
The new Bing generative search experience uses AI to not just generate sections and content on the search results page but also lays out the page using AI. In the screenshot below you see the following AI and non-AI elements:
- Answer Summary
- Docuemnt Index
- Source Citations
- Related Sections
- Traditional Search Results
Here is a screenshot:
Here is a video of it in action that shows a user searches “What is a spaghetti western?” Bing shows an AI-generated experience that dives into the film subgenre, including its history and origins, top examples and more. The information is easy to read and understand, with links and sources that show where it came from or let the user dive deeper. The regular search results continue to be prominently displayed on the page like always.
I made this video myself for that query:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjQCnpvJaGE?si=K4cMOHDLBX-af4Md&w=560&h=315]
“This new experience combines the foundation of Bing’s search results with the power of large and small language models (LLMs and SLMs). It understands the search query, reviews millions of sources of information, dynamically matches content, and generates search results in a new AI-generated layout to fulfill the intent of the user’s query more effectively,” Microsoft added.
“We’ve refined our methods to optimize accuracy in Bing, applying those insights as we continue to evolve our use of LLMs in search. We are continuing to look closely at how generative search impacts traffic to publishers. Early data indicates that this experience maintains the number of clicks to websites and supports a healthy web ecosystem. The generative search experience is designed with this in mind, including retaining traditional search results and increasing the number of clickable links, like the references in the results,” Microsoft also wrote.
Really excited about this next step forward for search – lots of folks have been working nonstop to make this happen – we’re excited to hear what everyone thinks https://t.co/QxRgvG6Uj4
— Michael Schechter (@mikeschechter) July 24, 2024
Not to be outdone by Google’s AI overviews… -> Bing testing new generative search experience
I see it now, very interesting. A lot to take in on the page… and provides sources per section on-hover and via citation links.
“Microsoft explained that this search “experience… pic.twitter.com/LCpJJeYHWm
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) July 24, 2024
Forum discussion at X.