Microsoft experiments with putting ads in AI-powered Bing Chat

Date: April 05, 2024

Microsoft is experimenting with putting ads in its GPT-4 powered Bing Chat. It remains to be seen how this monetization model will affect user experience in the long run

Microsoft is testing the inclusion of ads in Bing Chat, its new search agent powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4. 

These sponsored responses are clearly labeled as ads; however, some users have questioned the idea of ads being included in the search experience. It remains to be seen how this monetization model will affect search advertising and user experience in the long run. 

While search engines and agents are part of a business model and therefore need monetization, Microsoft must ensure the user understands what is being advertised. An idea put forward is a “meta-conversation” feature, which includes citations and ads in a separate area next to the chat. 

The more dire side effect of this new advertising is that it cannot be blocked with current tools. As the paradigm of ads as predictable items in labeled locations are ending, it would be nice to see advertising better integrated into search agents without eroding user trust