Microsoft’s Bing search engine was revolutionized by the introduction of an AI-powered chatbot interface. Designed and tested by Jordi Ribas and a team of Microsoft’s top minds, the chatbot has received 100 million conversations and is used in 169 countries. However, some users have questioned the accuracy and reliability of the chatbot. Microsoft continues to update and improve its ChatGPT technology architecture to address concerns and improve user experience.
Jordi Ribas has driven the development of ChatGPT since last September. Making use of OpenAI’s GPT-4 text-generation technology, he tested out the ChatGPT bot in Spanish and Catalan and was astonished when it understood the cities near where he grew up. As it passed open-ended questions and complex problems, Microsoft saw potential for its search engine. In October, a prototype was born and in February, Bing’s new chatbot interface was launched.
Microsoft had to adjust its development procedure for the project. Corporate VPs contributed their experience on a daily basis, policy and legal teams were brought in often and the response to open ended questions resulted in usage limits when it became unhinged. These steps were needed to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the chatbot. Addressing concerns of AI-crafted misinformation, some have pushed for a pause in further development, but Ribas and other team members remain adamant in moving forward.
Microsoft’s investments in OpenAI ($13 billion) and its Bing chatbot has proven a successful venture. This innovative idea has driven hundreds of thousands of new users to Bing, demonstrating the company’s agility. Satya Nadella, current CEO of Microsoft, was instrumental in initiating this decision engine concept back in 2009 when he ran the online services division. Microsoft shares have increased 12 percent since the introduction of Bing Chatbot which resulted in more than rival Google search.
Jordi Ribas is a Barcelona native who is determined to remain innovating and pushing the boundaries. An internet policy scholar at Stanford University researching AI safety risks, Jim Dempsey, advocates for slowing down the implementation of OpenAI models until the risks are fully assessed. With the help of Microsoft’s brightest minds, Ribas and his team strive to complete the project, creating a safer and more user-friendly chatbot. With the help of new features designed to improve as more conversations occur, Bing chatbot is sure to have a bright future ahead.
