Microsoft set to bring free GPT-4 toggle for Bing Chat AI on Android, iOS

Microsoft has released a new server-side update for the Bing Chat app on Android and iOS with a new toggle dubbed GPT-4. The newly added feature allows you to unleash the full potential of ChatGPT GPT-4. Aside from that, it lets you take full advantage of the existing "tones" feature.

To those unaware, Bing Chat allows users to choose between different styles including "Creative," "Balance." or "More Precise." Now, the word on the street is that the chat experience is likely to improve with the addition of the new GPT-4. This is welcome news after Microsoft admitted that Bing Chat has been facing quality issues.

In fact, the folks at Windows Latest believe the move could be part of Microsoft's plan to ensure that interacting with the chatbot doesn't feel like talking to an assistant for Bing.com.

Bing Chat AI gets a new feature

Notably, the American tech giant is also prepping to bring Bing AI chat to non-Microsoft browsers on desktops and mobile devices. In the meantime, the company is rolling out a new GPT-4 toggle via the Bing app for Android and iOS users.

To recap, Microsoft confirmed that the new Bing runs on OpenAI's GPT-4 back in March. Now, a Microsoft support staff told Windows Latest that the new GPT-4 toggle feature will allow users to chat with GPT-4, which is OpenAI's multimodal LLM (large language model).

Apparently, the GPT-4 toggle allows users to chat with Bing's GPT-4 model without requiring any additional customisation by Microsoft. You can return to the existing tones feature by clicking on the three dots menu to use Microsoft's customisation.

"Please note that GPT-4 is not perfect and may make mistakes or produce inappropriate responses. If you encounter any issues or have any feedback, please let us know by using the feedback button on the chat interface," a Microsoft staff said.

Bing Chat will not get a search mode

Microsoft is reportedly not planning to add a search or offline mode for Bing Chat. When a user asks a question, Bing usually searches the internet for the answer just like how we use search engines like Google.

However, it adopts the same lengthy process even for simple questions. Some users claim they do not always use Bing to search the web. Instead, they use Windows 11's Copilot. They want Bing to give quick answers without always searching the internet.

Windows Latest sources at Microsoft have divulged details about what could be in the offing. Notably, Bing might soon start answering from what it already knows rather than going online. This will make the chat faster and smoother.

Currently, Bing searches online to provide an answer even if you ask a common question like "How do I convert a JPG file to a PDF file?" So, it will be interesting to see whether the planned changes will help Bing answer quickly without the need to search.

Moreover, Microsoft's updates to Bing Chat could make the tool more user-friendly. Nevertheless, it is still unclear whether these changes will make Bing a preferred choice for those looking for a seamless chatbot experience. Regrettably, things aren't looking good for Bing's search.

Bing Search market share

Microsoft integrated OpenAI's widely popular chatbot, ChatGPT, into Bing in a bid to enhance the search experience. Also, the company aimed to challenge Google's dominance in the search engine segment.

Much to Microsoft's chagrin, the market share for Bing has remained largely unchanged even six months after ChatGPT integration. Bing's global market share is around just 3 per cent.

Google's share also slightly decreased from 93 to 92 per cent, according to the data shared by Statcounter and Similarweb. A separate report by The Wall Street Journal claims former Google and LinkedIn employee and search market expert Daniel Tunkelang said that Bing's AI-enhanced efforts have been "cute, but not a game-changer."