Microsoft brings Bing AI to the Windows 11 taskbar
This could be a powerful user adoption strategy
Today, a significant update to Windows 11 includes the addition of AI-powered Bing search engine to the taskbar.
The Bing search engine has a low single-digit market share and probably fewer monthly users BUT the built-in search box is one of the most frequently used features in Windows, with over half a billion monthly users.
It’s important to note that there is still a waiting period for access to the new Bing chatbot, hence not all Windows 11 users will get access right away.
I recently got hold of Bing AI, and while I found it useful (the ability to search the web is a nice touch relative to ChatGPT), I also was amused by its rather “spicy” attitude. At some point, it refused to communicate with me altogether. Oh well…
03/01/2023 update: To access the chatbot from the taskbar, you will still need to launch the Microsoft Edge browser. This wasn’t clearly communicated by the company initially.