Microsoft has reportedly issued a warning to two search engines that are using its search data to power their AI chatbots. The tech giant has threatened to restrict access to the data if the search engines continue to use it with their AI tools. This move is seen as an attempt to make its search data exclusive to Bing’s chatbot, which is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model.
Microsoft licenses out Bing’s search data to several search engines, including DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, and You.com. However, it apparently views the use of its data in AI chatbots as a violation of its contract. Sources claim that Microsoft may choose to terminate its agreements with the search engines accused of misusing the information.
It is unclear which search engines Bloomberg is referring to in its report. However, some search engines such as DuckDuckGo, You.com, and Neeva offer AI-powered tools that generate summaries and provide answers to users’ questions. Microsoft’s decision to restrict Bing’s search data for use in AI chatbots could impact the functionality and capabilities of these search engines’ chatbots.
The crackdown by Microsoft highlights the increasing importance of AI chatbots in the search engine landscape. With more companies like Google introducing their own takes on OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot, there is a growing demand for access to high-quality search data to power these tools. Microsoft’s decision to restrict access to its search data could potentially put it at a competitive advantage as it seeks to make its chatbot stand out in a crowded marketplace.
This move could also have implications for the wider AI industry. The situation highlights the importance of access to high-quality data in the development of AI technologies. It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold. Nonetheless, it underscores the need for companies to consider the legal implications of using third-party data in their AI technologies.
