Microsoft is bringing more ads to the new Bing chat, a spokesperson confirmed to The Verge.
It comes after a Microsoft executive revealed in a blog post that the company is exploring putting ads in the search engine's chat experience. The company would share the ad revenue with its partners whose content is featured in the bot's responses.
New ads will show in Bing chat, the same as in its traditional search results, Microsoft communications director Caitlin Roulston confirmed.
- The new Bing AI is still in preview mode, meaning that there "may be some variability" in how the ads show up, Roulston noted.
- Meanwhile, some Bing users have already reported seeing ads in the chat's responses.
- Specifically, the ads appear as linked citations as well as added links below the bot's responses in a "Learn More" section.
While the ads aren't yet appearing for most users, Microsoft Corporate VP for Search and Devices Yusuf Mehdi said in the blog that the company is seeking to drive more value and traffic for publishers via the new Bing AI.
- This could include an "expanded hovering experience" that would show more links from a specific publisher when a user rolls their cursor over a link.
- Last month, Microsoft was said to be engaging in talks with ad agencies about monetizing the new AI-powered Bing.
