Bing's AI Redesign Moves Traditional Search Results Aside for Enhanced User Experience

Bing’s new search experience prominently features AI-generated answers, shifting traditional search results to a secondary role. This revamped layout, currently in limited rollout, fills the search results page with AI summaries that address various facets of user queries. For instance, when searching for “What is a spaghetti western?”, Bing presents a summary stating it's a “subgenre of western films produced by Italian filmmakers,” accompanied by bullet points detailing its key characteristics.

Although this feature is not yet fully available, as a Bing and Edge user, I hope it includes options for customization, including an off switch. The restriction of search descriptions to two lines could complicate browsing the first page of search results.

Google has introduced a similar feature called AI Overviews, which provides AI-generated summaries at the top of its search results. However, users quickly identified accuracy issues, prompting Google to revise some responses.

Bing’s new layout extends beyond general summaries. For the spaghetti western query, users can find additional information, including the genre’s history, related videos, and a chart highlighting influential films. This wealth of information can feel overwhelming, especially with Microsoft listing sources beneath each section, while all traditional links are relegated to a narrow column on the right side of the screen.

According to Microsoft, this improved experience integrates Bing search with both large and small language models, enhancing understanding of search queries and effectively matching content. Early data shows promise, suggesting this approach maintains user engagement and supports a healthy web ecosystem.