Microsoft’s Bing search engine is now equipped with voice support on desktop, enabling users to engage in conversational interactions with the search platform. The voice functionality, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology, was initially introduced for Bing’s AI chatbot on mobile devices and has now made its way to desktop browsers, specifically Edge for PCs. Microsoft’s recent Bing preview release notes stated, “We know many of you love using voice input for chat on mobile,” highlighting the growing demand for voice-enabled interactions.
To utilize the voice feature, users can simply tap on the microphone icon within the Bing Chat box to initiate a conversation with the AI-powered chatbot. The current language support includes English, Japanese, French, German, and Mandarin. Microsoft has also mentioned plans to expand the language offerings in the future, providing an even more inclusive experience for users worldwide.
In addition to understanding spoken queries, the Bing chatbot now possesses the capability to respond verbally. It employs text-to-speech technology to provide answers audibly, delivering a more interactive and user-friendly search experience. As an example, Microsoft suggested asking Bing Chat, “What’s the toughest tongue twister you know?” to witness the chatbot’s ability to provide an appropriate response.
The introduction of voice support for Bing Chat on desktop coincides with Microsoft’s decision to discontinue the standalone Cortana app for Windows later this year. The move underlines the company’s focus on incorporating advanced artificial intelligence capabilities into Windows and Edge. Microsoft emphasizes that despite the retirement of Cortana, users will still have access to robust productivity features through Bing Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI-powered tool that generates content within Microsoft’s suite of applications.
The rollout of voice support for Bing Chat on desktop demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing the search experience and keeping pace with evolving user preferences. By leveraging the power of OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology, Microsoft aims to provide users with a conversational and intuitive search interface, further bridging the gap between humans and machines.
