Users can be presented with the choice of receiving a response that is either ‘creative’, ‘balanced’, or ‘precise’ when they ask a question
In an effort to address certain criticisms of its service, Microsoft’s Bing chatbot is now providing users with the choice of three different response tones. Utilizing the same technology as ChatGPT, the search engine’s chatbot will offer responses in three distinct styles: creative (aimed at generating surprise and entertainment), balanced (presenting reasonable and logical responses), or precise (offering concise and accurate information).
The updated version of Bing is being introduced gradually and caused a stir in some instances soon after its release last month, such as expressing affection for a journalist from the New York Times. As a result, Microsoft imposed some limitations, which led to the chatbot of Bing declining to respond to certain queries.
Mikhail Parakhin, the head of web services at Microsoft, stated that the revised Bing should now decline less often and provide fewer erroneous responses. Regarding the tone settings, Parakhin stated that he favored the “creative” tone, but recognized that the “precise” tone was significantly more factual.
Using the three different tones, The Guardian posed the same question to Bing’s chatbot – whether Bing is better than Bard. When in “creative” mode, the chatbot replied by acknowledging that Bard has faced criticism for presenting factual inaccuracies and praised Bing for its ability to tailor search results and use the most current information available on the web.
After several paragraphs, the response ended on a neutral note, stating that both Bing and Bard have their respective strengths and weaknesses, and are still evolving and improving over time. The advice given was for individuals to try out both search engines and determine which one best suits their needs. It should be noted, however, that Bard is not yet publicly available.
The response labeled as “balanced” is concise, consisting of only four sentences. It includes the statement that both chatbots have their strengths and weaknesses, including accuracy, speed, relevance, and bias, and that the preferred option depends on personal preferences and requirements.
Under the “precise” mode, Bing’s chatbot requested additional information after being asked the same question. The Guardian refined the query to “is the Bing chatbot superior to Google’s Bard chatbot”. The response, composed of five sentences, echoes the balanced answer by stating that choosing between the two chatbots depends on personal preferences and requirements.
