Link: https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/microsofts-ai-boosted-bing-can-run-rings-around-google-search/
Introduction
Based on the above CNET article, Microsoft’s AI-boosted Bing search engine makes promises and has marked a positive impression in comparison to Google search engine. The article also acknowledged that as of this moment, what will be the effects of this new competition on our day to day lives. Google is also working on its own AI chatbot technology. The article in question is not a scientific study, a research paper based on facts, and writers opinions are based on personal experience and anecdotal evidence. And for that reason alone, we have to take into account that further research, analysis and evidence would be required to make a neutral conclusion about the future impact of Microsoft’s-AI-boosted Bing search engine in the Search Engines market.
Article’s Features
According to CNET, Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing search engine is an open challenge to Google’s dominance in the Search Engines market. The article states that, according to a test eight out of ten searches favored Bing’s AI-boosted search, because of it’s AI capabilities. The news that Bing search engine has struggled in the recent years for recognition is not new. But it is now being boosted by Microsoft as they partnered with Open AI. It has proved to be pretty beneficial for Microsoft, as the Open Ai’s language model can provide in-depth results for complex queries. Mundane searches lead to similar results between both search engines, but the tables may turn in favor of Microsoft Bing search engine because of its superior performance on complex queries. In spite of the challenge of breaking people’s long-standing habits could be difficult. But Google is also working on its own AI chatbot technology, which will later be applied to its own searching capabilities as a search engine.
Statements in Article
The article on CNET marked the following points as advantages to Microsoft’s Bing over Google:
- Microsoft Bing’s AI has the ability to provide better results for complex queries.
- Microsoft’s partnership with Open Ai’s language model technology does give Bing an edge over Google.
- Bing’s web index and Open Ai’s language processing could prove very useful for complicated searches.
Article’s Summary
Overall, the article’s suggestion that Microsoft’s Bing may be a strong challenger to Google has some limitations. Limitations of the study are questionable, because Google dominates the Search Engine’s market with more than three quarters of global search engine market shares. Both Google and Microsoft are investing huge sums of money in AI technology, however it is unclear as to how both of these will evolve and impact the search engine landscape in the foreseeable future.
I am impressed and sorrowed by the above writings. Because the article was written with a poor scope in mind, favoring Microsoft for its AI capabilities. I believe there are some other angles here, which need to be looked at before making a conclusion. I have compiled a list of counter arguments against the above-mentioned article and its favoritism to Microsoft.
Below are the perspectives and views, I think originally missed by the author.
A list of Points missed:
- No of test cases
- Subjectivity of Search
- Bing’s Market Share
- Data & Privacy Concerns
- Google’s image as pioneer of Emerging Technologies
Explanation
I have explained the missed POVs and perspectives in the below list.
- Limited test cases: No of test cases are important in any research. And the author only conducted around ten test cases, which I strongly believe is not a sufficient to draw broad conclusions about Microsoft Bing’s superiority over Google search engine.
- Subjectivity: Search results are subjective because, what one consumer may call a perfect result for a query would not be the case for another consumer, who has different individual preferences. Hence, deeming a search result perfect is near to impossible, when there are billions of different people with different preferences.
- Bing’s market share: Bing’s market share is very small when compared to Google in the search engine market. Even after considering Bing’s AI capabilities, most people would not switch to Bing as their search engine. And that point has multiple dimensions, but I am not going to jump into that right now. We will keep the argument simple by counting number of users based on market shares.
- Data privacy concerns: Microsoft has already faced challenges over data privacy concerns. And users will be hesitant when switching to Bing as their primary search engine, simply because Microsoft has faced scrutiny in the past for data privacy concerns.
- Google’s innovation: Innovation and development of new and emerging technologies has long been a forte of Google. It is very likely that google will develop a new and better search engine powered by AI and other technologies. And Google’s repo for that alone could be a difficulty to Bing for keeping its lead in the search engine market.
Below are some counter points to the original article, I have written to provide a neutral view over the situation.
Counterpoints:
- Size of the study’s sample is pretty small and cannot be said to be statistically significant. Hence, rendering it as a not suitable source of understanding the current standings of search engine market and Bing’s place in it.
- Google holds a whooping 90% shares and dominates the search engine market. Which will prove to be a big challenge for Bing to overcome.
- Trust that Google has developed with it’s user as a go to trusted search engine, will make a significant impact on users switching. As users are already comfortable and satisfied with Google, and the long habit of using google for every query they ever had, will make it very hard for Bing to turn the tide towards itself.
- AI chatbot technology, introduced as Google Bard is in development by Google. Sooner than later, Google will stand by it’s image of a quick adaptor of emerging technologies, and come up with a solution, that will take out it’s competitors. Google is heavily investing in AI, and is making tremendous efforts to keep its share in the search engine market.
- Microsoft and OpenAI partnership does give Bing an edge over Google. Which as per experts is just a timed bubble. That Google will come and pop. And Google is also developing it’s own AI engine as mentioned earlier to improve it’s results for complex queries. Which is a selling point for Edge right now. Once that’s off the table. Google will again become the major share holder of search engine market.
Conclusion:
To conclude my counter statements, Bing may have an impressive AI technology for now. It is still too early to conclude that, it could challenge Google’s dominance in the search engine market. Limited test cases, subjectivity of search results, Bing’s smaller market share and privacy concerns for data will be a challenge for Bing to become a competitor to Google. And to make it even worse for Bing, Google already has an image in the market for innovation and development. And it compels users to stay with Google as, sooner than later, Google will catch up as a AI powered search engine, that could provide best results for complex queries. And they would keep dominating the search engine market.
However, it is too soon to draw a conclusion. The race is on and only time will tell, who is going to dominate. What and how, both of these questions will remain unanswered for now, and the only reason for that is lack of evidence to support either’s claims of superiority over the other.
That’s it for today my beloved readers, keep coming back for more critical analysis and to stay up to date with the latest news and trends in technology’s evolution.
Thank you for reading to the end :).
