Microsoft‘s Bing chatbot is now offering users three variations in tone, each of which alters how the AI bot responds.
The AI update for Bing has already seen ups and downs, with strange responses from the bot which verged on aggression to conversations that make no sense. Microsoft then implemented changes that would see users limited to 50 questions per day and five replies per chat. This process was to eliminate some of the odd responses the bot had been giving users.
Microsoft is now adding different tones to the service to eliminate further issues and criticisms. The new response types are creative, which loosens the reins of Bing and allows for conversations that can spark inspiration. Precise is a more informed conversation prioritising accuracy, while balanced falls in the middle of the other two tones.
Now almost everyone – 90% – should be seeing the Bing Chat Mode selector (the tri-toggle). I definitely prefer Creative, but Precise is also interesting – it's much more factual. See which one you like. The 10% who are still in the control group should start seeing it today.
— Mikhail Parakhin (@MParakhin) March 1, 2023
Change of tone
Microsoft’s head of web services, Mikhail Parakhin shared that most users will now have access to the tone toggle option. However, some comments revealed that users received errors when using the chatbot. The increasing volume of users trying to access the ChatGPT-powered AI is causing an increased workload for the chatbot, which Parakhin states the team is aware of and working toward fixing.
The new tones for Bing will enable users to create a more custom fit for how they wish to use a bot. If someone is using it within a professional capacity or for research, it may be best to use the precise option, as this will relay the facts. Whereas those who wish to have a casual chat with the bot may prefer the balanced mode, and for those who are experimenting with Bing’s creativity, for example, writing poems, the creative option will steer the conversation in the right direction.
Microsoft has also removed the AI-enabled Bing button from the Windows 10 and 11 taskbar. This has now been changed to the Bing-free taskbar search. Microsoft may have removed the taskbar integration as it was poorly received by users as it did not grant access to the Bing AI but acted as a link to Bing through the Edge browser. Given its poor reception, Microsoft may be withdrawing taskbar integration and returning to the drawing board.
Paige Cook is a writer with a multi-media background. She has experience covering video games and technology and also has freelance experience in video editing, graphic design, and photography. Paige is a massive fan of the movie industry and loves a good TV show, if she is not watching something interesting then she's probably playing video games or buried in a good book. Her latest addiction is virtual photography and currently spends far too much time taking pretty pictures in games rather than actually finishing them.
