Microsoft Bing Chat Ads: Microsoft has recently confirmed that more ads are coming to Bing AI-powered chatbot, and they are exploring the possibility of placing ads in the chat experience. Microsoft’s corporate vice president Yusuf Mehdi stated in a blog on Wednesday that the company is “exploring placing ads in the chat experience.”
Bing Chat Ads and Their Integration with Bing’s Search Results
According to Caitlin Roulston, a director of communications at Microsoft,
“Yes, ads will show in the new Bing, specifically in chat (as they do in the traditional search results).”
These ads have also been part of the chat experience since the preview launched in February, appearing as sponsored links and inside shopping results. If you want an idea of what the new ads might look like, check out this example shared by Debarghya Das about cheap Honda cars.
The Logic Behind Bing Chat Ads
The example shared by Das shows citations with a small “Ad” box that appear to link back to Bing. This seems like a logical way for Microsoft to mark an ad, and if that’s the experience everyone eventually sees, it won’t be too obtrusive. However, there is still no information on the volume of ads or how Microsoft will choose between showing an ad or sourcing a response directly from a publisher or website.
The Cognitive Load of Determining Trustworthiness
The inclusion of ads will add to the already difficult cognitive load of determining whether you can trust a given response. In the blog post, Mehdi says that Microsoft wants to “share the ad revenue with partners whose content contributed to the chat response,” but that doesn’t answer the question of the balance Microsoft plans to strike between ad and non-ad responses. Whatever that balance is, the inclusion of ads is sure to impact the chat experience.
Microsoft Plans for Bing Chat Ads
Since the new Bing is in preview, there may be some variability in how the ads are currently showing up. Microsoft is still exploring new opportunities for ad experiences and will share more over time. Mehdi also stated that Microsoft wants to share the ad revenue with partners whose content contributed to the chat response, indicating a revenue-sharing model similar to that used in Google’s AdSense program.
The Bottom Line
Microsoft’s decision to integrate ads into its AI-powered Chatbot was inevitable, considering the potential for revenue generation. The inclusion of ads will certainly affect the chat experience, and it remains to be seen how Microsoft will balance the ad and non-ad responses. Nonetheless, the move is a significant step forward in Microsoft’s advertising efforts and an indication of the increasing importance of Chatbots as a marketing channel.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Microsoft’s decision to introduce ads in Bing’s AI-powered chatbot was not unexpected. While the move may provide revenue opportunities for the company and its partners, it may also increase the cognitive load on users, who will have to determine whether a given response is an ad or not. The true impact of this change remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the inclusion of ads in chat experiences is becoming more common across the industry.
FAQs
What is Bing AI-powered Chatbot?
Bing AI-powered Chatbot is a conversational agent that uses artificial intelligence to understand natural language and provide users with relevant search results and information.
Will ads be shown in traditional Bing search results as well?
Yes, Microsoft has confirmed that ads will show in both traditional Bing search results and in the chat experience of Bing’s AI-powered Chatbot.
How will the inclusion of ads impact the chat experience on Bing AI-powered Chatbot?
The inclusion of ads may increase the cognitive load on users, who will have to determine whether a given response is an ad or not. It remains to be seen how this will impact the overall chat experience.
How will Microsoft choose whether to show an ad or source a response directly from a publisher or website?
Microsoft has not yet revealed how it will determine when to show an ad versus a non-ad response from a publisher or website.
Will Microsoft share ad revenue with partners whose content contributed to the chat response?
Yes, Microsoft has stated that it intends to share ad revenue with partners whose content contributed to the chat response.