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Microsoft Bing

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Bing is a search engine owned and operated by Microsoft.

Microsoft Bing logo
Microsoft Bing logo

A search engine is a tool that helps people find information on the internet. Bing can help you find many different things. You can search for web pages, videos, images, and maps.

Live Search New
Live Search New

It is a very large service used by millions of people. As of April 2024, it was the second-largest search engine in the world. Google is the largest, holding a 90.91% market share. Bing holds a 3.64% market share. Other competitors include Yandex, Baidu, and Yahoo!.

How does a search engine work? It uses a web crawler to find information.

MSN Search screenshot 2002
MSN Search screenshot 2002

A crawler is a program that travels across the internet. It finds resources and adds them to a large database called an index. Bing also uses semantic technology to understand what you are looking for. This helps the engine give better suggestions while you type. In 2023, Microsoft added artificial intelligence to the engine. This is called an AI chatbot. It can talk to you and even create art from your words.

ChaoticHarmony explosion in post-painter abstraction (MAI-Image-1)
ChaoticHarmony explosion in post-painter abstraction (MAI-Image-1)

The history of Bing began a long time ago. Microsoft launched MSN Search in the third quarter of 1998.

MSN Search screenshot
MSN Search screenshot

Later, the service became Windows Live Search in 2006. In 2007, the name changed to Live Search. Microsoft wanted a new identity for its search services. On May 28, 2009, CEO Steve Ballmer announced the switch to Bing. This happened at a conference in San Diego, California. The official release of Bing followed on June 3, 2009. The name Bing was chosen because it is short and easy to spell. It also reminds people of the game Bingo.

There are many interesting facts about how Bing grew. Microsoft acquired a company called Powerset in 2008. This helped Bing use better search technology. In 2009, Microsoft made a ten-year deal with Yahoo! to power their search. Microsoft also shared its code with others in 2016. This is called open source technology. This means parts of the BitFunnel algorithm are available for others to see. Bing reaches many different places around the world. About 27.43% of its traffic comes from China. The United States provides 22.16% of its traffic. Japan, Germany, and France also use it often.

You might already know about other ways to find things online. Many people use search engines every day to learn about school or hobbies. Bing connects to things you use, like the Microsoft Edge browser.

Wikipedia prompt
Wikipedia prompt

It also includes a chatbot called Microsoft Copilot. This tool uses a model called GPT-4 to answer questions. You can use it to help with tasks or to make images. This makes the search engine feel like a helpful partner. It turns a simple search into a conversation. This is a big change in how we use the internet.

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🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Bing Fluent Logo.svg
Bing Fluent Logo.svg
File:Microsoft Bing logo.svg
Microsoft Bing logo.svg
File:MSN Search screenshot 2002.png
MSN Search screenshot 2002.png
File:MSN Search screenshot.png
MSN Search screenshot.png
File:Windows Live Search homepage screenshot (2006).jpg
Windows Live Search homepage screenshot (2006).jpg
File:Live Search New.png
Live Search New.png
ChaoticHarmony explosion in post-painter...
File:Wikipedia prompt.png
Wikipedia prompt.png
File:Bing Desktop screenshot.png
Bing Desktop screenshot.png
File:Live Search Gadgets.jpg
Live Search Gadgets.jpg
File:Safesearch bing force.png
Safesearch bing force.png
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