Bing Chat considers ‘Expert Mode’ for improved search function

Microsoft may be working on refining Bing Chat’s search experience with an “Expert Mode.”

Mikhail Parakhin, head of Advertising and Web Services at Microsoft, mentioned the new experience on X in response to a concerned user who expressed disappointment that Bing Chat could not deliver the desired information. The user also asked if there was an edit or repeat button that would let him make the same prompt multiple times, as with other chatbots, such as ChatGPT.

Yes, we are contemplating a more sophisticated interface for the “expert” users.

— Mikhail Parakhin (@MParakhin) July 22, 2023

The new experience will likely be curated specifically for more advanced and technical users. This technology is not exactly new; several websites already use it. For example, the United Airlines website has its own expert mode. And while it is not associated with Microsoft’s Bing Chat, it serves the same purpose.

Users can use it to upgrade flights, see available fares, and more, giving frequent travelers all the insightful information they need to make informed decisions. However, you need a MileagePlus account to enable the feature through the settings under the “special preferences & accommodations” option.

In essence, expert mode refines the search experience and allows users to perform more detailed searches. However, it is unclear how it is expected to work when it finds its way to Bing Chat.

Vision

It is likely that Microsoft will integrate Expert Mode into Bing Chat’s conversational style menu to meet the needs of more advanced and technical users who prefer detailed and insightful information when performing their searches through the chatbot.

It will be interesting to see how Microsoft puts it all together. At the same time, the FTC recently began investigating OpenAI and ChatGPT to understand whether the company violated any consumer protection laws.

And while this investigation is ongoing, Microsoft’s Bing Chat may be affected if the committee finds that OpenAI violated data security practices. If found guilty of these allegations, the FTC could make recommendations to the U.S. government regulating and moderating AI developments, which could potentially include restrictions on the number of resources chatbots can access. This would negatively affect the accuracy of the chatbot and ultimately affect the promising capabilities of Expert Mode.