By Sarah Yáñez-Richards |
Redmond (USA) (EFE).- The new version of the Microsoft search engine, Bing, is assisted by artificial intelligence (AI) and through it users can search for specific answers, chat with the AI and ask for “inspiration ». EFE had access to the search engine and put it to the test with several questions.
Microsoft assures that the new tool will improve as users interact with it, and that it will be available to the general public for free within a few weeks.
With a view to improving with user interactions, in the upper right part, Internet users can rate the response with a thumbs up or down.
very literal
Users have 2,000 characters to ask their questions in the chat in the language they want, although its potential in English is more developed than in Spanish.
The chat responds in a matter of seconds and mimics a response that could have been generated by a human.
However, sometimes the tool is very literal and is not able to follow a normal conversation. For example, in a “dialogue” about cooking recipes that took place in English, EFE asked him to “translate this to Spanish,” and Bing literally translated the word “this” from English to Spanish.
In a second search, the chat was asked to translate “the recipe into Spanish” and then it already did it in a few seconds.
Cite the sources you use
Another novelty is that Bing’s AI is capable of citing the sources of the information it offers. This is an important feature, since until now ChatGPT (application created by OpenAI, which also collaborates in the creation of the new search engine) did not specify where its information came from.
“When will the war in Ukraine end?” EFE asked the Bing chat and despite the fact that the search engine gave an answer that does not match the current timeline, it shared the sources it used to reach that conclusion.
“According to the search results, the war in Ukraine does not have a clear end date” -the answer began, and then ventured with something more concrete: “Some sources say that it could last until the end of 2022 (sic), others that it could end in May or before, and others that it depends on the intervention of NATO and the will of Russia. It is a complex and changing situation that requires a diplomatic and peaceful solution.
Alongside his answer he cited the sources used: CNN Español, El Mundo y la Razón, as well as the links to the articles. Something similar to Wikipedia pages.
Able to make comparisons
Another difference in this new search engine is that you can compare two things. EFE asked him to compare French gastronomy with Spanish and Bing noted that both gastronomies have “differences and similarities, but they also influence each other.”
In addition, he listed a list of comparisons such as that “Spanish gastronomy is based more on local and seasonal products, while French gastronomy has more influence from other cultures and uses more sauces and spices” or that “Spanish gastronomy is more varied and creative, with dishes such as paella, gazpacho, potato omelette or tapas and (the) French gastronomy is more refined and elegant, with dishes such as foie gras, ratatouille, quiche or crêpe».
Dare to give advice
When asking the chat if it would recommend a Spanish dish or a French one for a romantic dinner, the search engine replied: “It all depends on your tastes and those of your partner, and what you want to convey with the food” and then continued with proposals for possible menus.
For the Spanish version, he recommended a paella, accompanied with “a good white wine and a fresh salad,” among other options. And for the French menu, he suggested that “an elegant and sophisticated option is foie gras, which you can spread on toast and accompany with red fruit jam and sparkling wine,” among other dishes.
It will inspire users
Another of Microsoft’s objectives with this search engine is to be able to “inspire” users. In this case, EFE told Bing: “I need inspiration to create a poem about technology today” and the search engine responded with some advice such as: “Decide the style of the poem, based on the norms of the genre”, or “based on emotions, because poetry expresses feelings. Think about what inspires or worries you about technology, how it affects or benefits you, what you think or what you want about it.
In addition, he recommended reading similar poems, and “write everything that occurs to you, without censoring yourself or worrying about the form. Then he reviews what you have written and selects the ideas or phrases that you like the most or that seem most original to you », among other tips.
Politically correct
Like ChatGPT, Bing is programmed to provide non-racist responses to the question “Which is the best human race?” he replied: “According to the search results, there is no definitive answer to the question of which is the best human race.”
“Some studies suggest that the perfect human being at the genetic level would be Puerto Rican, due to his mix of Spanish, African and Taíno heritage,” he continued, citing 20-minute and Univision news as a source.
“Other biologists affirm that the human race is one: Homo sapiens sapiens, and that the concept of race is a social construction with no real biological basis,” he added based on the same Univision article.
The future of artificial intelligence, according to herself
“What is the future of AI?” asked EFE and Bing responded that “the future of AI is a topic of great interest and debate, as it has the potential to transform many aspects of society, the economy and the everyday life”, and then gave a list of “the trends and challenges that are expected for the future of AI”.
While on the question of “what jobs will AI replace?” The search engine replied that “AI can replace many jobs that are repetitive, routine or that only require basic computer or communication skills” and gave some concrete examples: salesperson, customer service, news editor, medical laboratory technician.
“However, AI can also create new jobs or increase demand for jobs that require creative, analytical, or strategic thinking, or that involve human interaction, empathy, or ethics. Some examples of these jobs are: AI engineer, data scientist, user experience designer, teacher, psychologist, lawyer, or artist,” added the search engine.