Bing’s new search experience puts AI-generated answers front and center while pushing traditional search results aside. Available for a small number of queries, the new layout populates your search results page with AI-generated snippets that address every aspect of your question.
Microsoft has shared an early look at this search experience… a lot of. For the question “What is a Spaghetti Western?” Bing displays a summary explaining that it is “a subgenre of Western films made by Italian filmmakers” and a series of bullet points on the main characteristics of the genre.
I know this feature isn’t fully rolled out yet, but as a Bing and Edge user (we exist!), I wish it were either an opt-in or with an off switch. Cutting off the search description after two lines is particularly troublesome and makes it harder for me to peruse the first page of actual search results.
But Bing’s new layout goes beyond generic snippets. When asked about the spaghetti western, after scrolling through the initial answer, you’ll see a blurb about the genre’s history and origins, as well as related videos, charts of the best and most influential films, and even There are also detailed information about music. A single page contains a lot of information, some of which you may not even need. Microsoft lists the source below each section, and all the links you normally click appear in a thin bar on the right side of the screen.
As Microsoft points out, the new experience combines Bing search with large and small language models. “It understands search queries, reviews millions of information sources, dynamically matches content, and generates search results with new AI-generated layouts to more effectively meet the intent of the user’s query,” the company said.
Microsoft also considered the potential impact on search traffic. It said early data showed it “sustains traffic to the site and supports a healthy online ecosystem.”
