• Microsoft has announced new versions of Bing and Edge, both empowered by features from OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
• While Microsoft Bing can answer many questions, the company also warns that it may misrepresent information.
• As such, those that use it are directed to fact check what Microsoft Bing shares.

There is a new version of Microsoft Bing, which is now powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This fresh iteration is currently available in limited capacity to the public here, but as with any new AI-powered platform, Microsoft is still advising some caution.

As spotted by The Verge, it looks like not all of the information that the new version of Bing serves up will be accurate. This according to the FAQ on the landing page of the platform, which explains that the AI is still susceptible to mistakes.

In response to one of the questions, “Are Bing’s AI-generated answers always factual?”, the company had this to say.

“Bing aims to base all its responses on reliable sources – but AI can make mistakes, and third party content on the internet may not always be accurate or reliable. Bing will sometimes misrepresent the information it finds, and you may see responses that sound convincing but are incomplete, inaccurate, or inappropriate. Use your own judgment and double check the facts before making decisions or taking action based on Bing’s responses. You can always ask, ‘Where did you get that information?’ to learn more or check the original sources for yourself.

To share site feedback or report a concern, open the menu at the top right corner of a response, and then click the flag icon. You can also use the feedback button at the bottom right of every Bing page.”

Whether those that use Microsoft Bing, particularly students, will look to scrutinise the answers given remains to be seen, but as we have already seen with OpenAI’s latest version of ChatGPT, academic circles are divided as to its application.

It therefore looks like Microsoft is aiming to be cautious with the rollout of its new Bing, especially when it comes to use as a factual knowledge sharing tool.

“Bing tries to keep answers fun and factual, but given this is an early preview, it can still show unexpected or inaccurate results based on the web content summarised, so please use your best judgment. We are always learning, and we welcome feedback to help Bing improve. Use the feedback button at the bottom right of every Bing page to share your thoughts,” the company added in the aforementioned FAQ.

With Google set to unveil the full capabilities of its new ChatGPT rival, Bard, later today too, it will be interesting to see whether the same disclaimers apply.