While it’s still early days for Bing’s AI chatbot, Microsoft is already exploring ways to monetize its investment by incorporating ads into the chatbot.
Microsoft and OpenAI collaborated to create the Bing chatbot, which has gained attention since the launch of ChatGPT in November. ChatGPT is a generative AI technology that can produce various written content quickly upon request, sparking both interest and concern.
Microsoft acknowledged in a blog post that the Bing chatbot is a work in progress, and at times, the model may unintentionally reflect the tone it’s being asked to respond in, resulting in unintended style.
Microsoft is reportedly in talks with advertising agencies on how to slot ads into the juiced-up Bing, specifically when it arrives at the generative AI-powered chatbot. The organization is already testing ads there, as per Reuters, including by slotting in conventional search ads.
According to reports, discussions between the ad agency and Microsoft are in the preliminary phases. Currently, only a small group of users can use the chatbot, and many others are on a waiting list. Therefore, Microsoft may not feel the need to hurry in integrating advertisements at the moment.
With ChatGPT, the new Bing wants to be your ‘AI-powered copilot for the web’
According to reports, Microsoft expects that using a more conversational approach with its chatbot to provide information will attract more users and advertisers. The chatbot may also display ads more prominently than traditional search ads. Advertisements may appear in the links that the chatbot includes as references in its responses. Microsoft has stated that it will collaborate with partners and advertisers to explore the advertising potential of the technology.
It is expected that Bing’s chatbot and Google’s Bard will soon feature ads, despite some initial setbacks. These AI-powered chatbots have the potential to revolutionize the way people search for information, and given that search revenue currently accounts for more than half of Alphabet’s $282.8 billion revenue in 2022, the companies will have to find ways to monetize the chatbots. One of the most apparent ways to do this is by incorporating advertisements within them.
