Microsoft is bringing AI Bing and chat-powered searches to Windows 11
Chatting its way into your taskbar
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
As expected,Microsoftis bringing the powerful and somewhat controversialAI-Enabled Bingto Windows 11, and putting it right inside your taskbar.
The update arrives today (February 28), but if you don’t already have access to AIBing(perhapsyou’re still on a waiting list) you won’t see it.
For those that do have access, and are running at leastWindows 11version 22H2 on one of thebest Windows PCs, they’ll see the sameOpenAI ChatGPT-enabled Bing chatbot at least a million people have been running for almost a month.
AI-Enabled Bing is designed to be like a search-engine copilot. You can use the new Bing in the standard search fashion, or in a more conversational mode, where you ask thechatbotanything, even a series of questions that stay in context and, when all goes well, help you to elicit better answers.
Now, that experience will live inside Windows 11’s centered and quite popular search box in the taskbar.
While Microsoft, in the blog post announcing the update, points to some of the inspiring information discovery stories generated by the AI-powered Bing, the decision to introduce it on a platform used by millions of people is not without controversy.
Since its introduction at a surprise event a few weeks ago, users have pushed AI-enabled Bing to its limits. It’s beenaccused of making stuff up,cheating at Tic-Tac-Toe, and basicallygoing off the rails. Microsoft responded by putting some guardrails on the new technology, such aslimiting interactions to five responsesat a time.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
None of that, though, has slowed Microsoft’s expansion plans. Just last week,Microsoft unveiled the mobile versionof AI-enabled Bing that includes voice interaction.
Microsoft is, in a way, hedging its bets here by introducing AI-enabled Bing toWindows 11and not the much more widely-usedWindows 10, which may be on well over one billion devices.
Even so, this is a significant expansion in AI-enabled Bing availability, and the roadmap is clear. ThisChatGPT-powered search will eventually be a part of all Windows 11 installs, which means its learning could grow at an exponential rate. It might also mean that Microsoft encounters even more unforeseen chatbot challenges.
Along with the AI-enabled Bing Taskbar update, Microsoft is finally bringingPhone Linkto iOS devices.
For years, Microsoft has offered a direct Windows connection tothe best Samsung phonesthrough Phone Link, enabling browser hand-off, and the ability to send texts and other notifications from the phone to the Windows screen.
This Windows 11 update finally adds support for iPhones, allowing Windows users to view messages and notifications from their iPhones on their Windows 11 PCs and sync contacts. You’ll even be able to manage phone calls through your PC.
Unlike the Bing update, this one is still only available as a preview for Windows Insiders, a beta-release program that you cansign up for here. Just remember that running unreleased software comes with its share of risks, including data loss in the event of a system crash.
There are a bunch of other notable Windows 11 updates in today’s full public release including:
• The ability to adjust Windows Studio Effects directly from the taskbar in Quick Settings.
• A slide-away taskbar when you use Windows 11 in tablet mode. A swipe up from the bottom of the screen will bring the taskbar back into view.
• The ability to open Quick Assist from the help menu to receive and deliver tech support. It will even let you switch between screen-share mode and full remote control of your or someone else’s system (assuming you trust who you’re working with).
• Finally, Microsoft is adding Screen Recording to its Snipping Tool, which has traditionally been used to capture screen images. We would love to see it add the ability to create GIFs from these screen caps, maybe in a future Windows 11 update.
As we mentioned earlier, this major Windows 11 update rolls out today (February 28) and while most of the updates will be available to everyone, the AI-enabled Bing will only show up if you’re already part of the Bing preview program.
A 38-year industry veteran andaward-winning journalist, Lance has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a former Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, before that, Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He also wrote a popular, weekly tech column for Medium called The Upgrade.
Lance Ulanoffmakes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Live with Kelly and Mark, theToday Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and the BBC.
Alt + Tab trouble: Windows 11’s 24H2 update turns time-saving shortcut into ten-second headache
Windows 11’s Paint and Notepad apps are getting smart new AI features – though one of the best will be for Copilot+ PCs only
New fanless cooling technology enhances energy efficiency for AI workloads by achieving a 90% reduction in cooling power consumption
