If you are an iPhone user, accessing ChatGPT is now much easier. Microsoft today announced new updates to its Bing and Edge mobile apps that include AI-powered search results. As you may recall, Microsoft invested $10 billion in OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.
Both apps are available for download today and offer a streamlined design and user experience. With the update, users can now launch the Bing app and tap the Bing icon at the bottom, which launches a ChatGPT-infused chat session. One particularly interesting design is that users can choose to see answers in a standard paragraph format or in bulleted format.
A closer look at the new Bing app
ChatGPT has been a great desktop tool for months, but having access to a mobile device takes things to the next level. To this point I’ve been using Quora’s own AI chatbot – an iOS app called Poe – for a few weeks now and have really enjoyed being able to access it on the go.
Microsoft’s press release adds:
Imagine an unexpected stopover in a new city. While planning a quick afternoon stop in Tokyo, ask Bing to help you find a place to store your luggage. Then, get tips on navigating the subway system on the way to the famous Shinjuku Station. With a few hours to explore, Bing will create a short itinerary to help you make the most of your short visit, and even translate along the way.
Additionally, the updated Bing — on both mobile and desktop — now supports voice search. And to top it off, Microsoft is also integrating its AI-powered Bing app with Skype. Users can add Bing to an existing group, after which all users can ask questions and share the answers with the whole group.
“For example,” Microsoft writes, “if your family is chatting about the next family reunion, you can simply ask Bing for suggested travel destinations, likely weather forecasts, and things of interest around your travel time.”
Microsoft relies on AI
Microsoft clearly relies on AI and in particular on ChatGPT. Of course, this makes sense as Google still dominates the search market. But ChatGPT is a game changer and arguably represents the first serious risk to Google’s search dominance in years.
All in all, there are still a few kinks to iron out. Microsoft’s introduction of the new Bing was not without its challenges. There have been numerous instances of Bing churning out incorrect answers, and in some bizarre instances even threatening users who nudge and poke it too much.
As a final point, there are some who believe the hype surrounding ChatGPT is overdone, with some articulating that AI-powered bots are usually more entertaining than accurate.
