Microsoft now lets you switch off AI answers in Bing

Microsoft has released a browser extension that adds a toggle for switching the AI-generated answers in Bing search results on or off. The tool, called Bing AI Search Choice, is available in preview for Chrome and Edge 2

2

3

3

. It gives people a way to keep using Bing without the AI content, which until now they did not have 2

2

. The move is a quiet turn for a company that one outlet describes as among the first to put ChatGPT-style answers into a search engine, and that has pushed AI hard across its products since 1

1

.

Why Microsoft says it built it

Microsoft's stated reason is that people want control. The company cited research showing users want to decide whether AI is involved in each search session. It also noted that some prefer traditional results so they can compare sources themselves 2

2

3

3

. "When it comes to AI, we believe Bing users should have a choice in how they search," the company said in its blog post 3

3

.

The backdrop is an industry where AI summaries have spread across search engines, and where, per Microsoft's blog post, some users still prefer traditional results 2

2

3

3

. The quality of AI answers is contested too. One analysis estimated that Google's AI Overviews churn out tens of millions of erroneous answers an hour, a study Google disputes as having serious holes 1

1

.

Two ways to skip the AI

The extension's toggle is the persistent option. Once set, the preference applies across all Bing searches 2

2

3

3

. The feature is still in preview and Microsoft says it will change in response to user feedback 2

2

.

The second route needs no install at all. Appending -ai to a Bing query strips the AI-generated answers from that search; a search for why is the sky blue with -ai added returns results without them 2

2

3

3

1

1

. The operator asks nothing of you beyond typing. It has to be applied to each search, though, unless you set up a custom search engine in your browser settings that appends it automatically 1

1

. TechSpot calls the operator route impractical for most people compared with the add-on 1

1

.

The catch

That leaves the condition attached to the convenient option. Installing the extension changes the browser's default search engine to Bing, because the tool works only with Bing results 2

2

3

3

. Anyone who searches with Google or something else has to give that up to get the toggle, and that may be enough to deter them 2

2

3

3

. The condition sits in a market where Google holds roughly 90% of search and Bing is far behind 1

1

. Microsoft has not said why it chose a browser extension over a toggle on Bing's own site 3

3

.