Microsoft is already expanding Bing Chat to Skype and phones

By Alan Truly February 22, 2023

Bing Chat, the AI chatbot powered by ChatGPT, is one of Microsoft’s most exciting products, and the Windows developer is wasting no time in incorporating artificial intelligence into more of its products, including three of its mobile apps: Skype, Bing mobile, and Edge.

Microsoft announced the news in a blog post this morning. The Edge browser and the Bing app are obvious choices for adding AI-enhanced search, and early access users will begin seeing Bing Chat in those apps soon. We’d seen hints about Bing Chat on mobile, just two days ago, so Microsoft is moving quickly.

Microsoft Edge browser showing Bing Chat on an iPhone. — Alan Truly / Digital Trends

If you have Bing Chat in the Bing and Edge apps, you can speak to the AI assistant instead of typing or swiping in your question. That’s important since it can be challenging to handle a smartphone keyboard with one hand while you’re on the go.

It’s a bit of a surprise that Microsoft is also bringing this AI feature to Skype. Microsoft pointed out that over 36 million people use Skype daily for phone calls and chats. That number could grow significantly with the addition of Bing Chat as a co-pilot. Early access users will soon have the option to invite Bing into a chat with a mention of @Bing.

Questions that arise during a Skype chat can be quickly answered with the help of Bing Chat without interrupting the flow of the conversation by popping out to a web browser.

Bing, the Edge browser, and Skype are already available for iPhones and Android phones. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to sign up for the Bing Chat waitlist to get the new AI features.

Bing Chat first appeared in a limited preview on February 7, 2023. Microsoft is moving quickly, but it will take some time before it becomes available to everyone. A slow rollout is wise because the AI has shown some erratic behavior in early testing.

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Alan is a Computing Writer living in Nova Scotia, Canada. A tech-enthusiast since his youth, Alan stays current on what is…

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