Bing Chat update brings bevy of new features, including visual answers, improved formatting, and sharing conversations
Bing Chat just got a major update 100 days after it first launched in preview.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
What you need to know
The new Bing Chat powered by ChatGPT launched 100 days ago. The chatbot has seen several updates since then, including some significant changes, but the tool just got another boost. Bing Chat now supports visual answers, better formatting, and the option to share conversations.Microsoft announced these features for Bingearlier this month, but they are all live today.
As a quick reminder before we dive into what’s new,Bing Chat is now in open preview, meaning you don’t need to add your name to a wait list to try it out.
Searching through Bing Chat will now be a more visual experience. Charts, graphs, and improved formatting should create a more engaging way to get answers to questions. Microsoft highlighted that humans process visual information roughly 60,000 times faster than text. In the example above, someone asks Bing if a certain breed of cactus grows flowers. Rather than simply answering “yes,” Bing shows the flowers plus some text answering the question in a written format.
Microsoft is also working on support for uploading images to Bing Chat to search the web, though that functionality isn’t here yet.
Bing Chat drops waitlist for new users>Microsoft announces third-party plugin support for Bing Chat AI>Four reasons why you should start with Bing Chat instead of ChatGPT>How to get started with Bing Chat on Windows 11
Separate from the visual improvements to Bing Chat, Microsoft is also rolling out support for Chat History. The functionality has been making its way to users gradually over the last few weeks, but it is worth highlighting today.
Once the feature makes its way to you, it will save your conversations, allowing you to recall them after the fact. This makes it much easier to keep track of Bing’s answers and the threads that you’ve had with the tool.
Our Managing Editor Richard Devineshared his excitementfor chat history support in Bing Chat when it appeared for him last week. The good news for anyone that feels the same way about the feature is that it should be live for everyone starting today.
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
Microsoft has also made it easier to continue a conversation with Bing Chat. Now, when you click a link from a chat result when using Edge, the conversation will bump over to the Sidebar. This allows you to continue to chat with Bing while being able to browse the web.
Plug-ins are also on the way andwill expand Bing Chat’s capabilities and help fill some of the tool’s biggest gaps. For example, Bing Chat and other GPT-powered AI tools struggle with complex math problems. The Wolfram|Alpha plug-in should close that gap and allow Bing Chat to help with a variety of calculations.
OpenTable and Wolfram|Alpha will be the first plugins to work with Bing Chat.
Many of the features that shipped today and that are on the way are similar to options in ChatGPT. That fact led our Richard Devine to ask, “why am I wasting $20 a month on ChatGPT Plus when Bing Chat is free?” ChatGPT and Bing Chat are both powerful tools that can coexist, but their features overlap heavily in some areas. It will be interesting to see how everyday users lean when it comes to their AI chatbot of choice.
In addition to these updates to Bing Chat, Microsoftexpanded SwiftKey’s AI features, added the ability topin Bing Chat to your home screen on Android and iOS, and released amajor update to the Edge mobile apps.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
