Microsoft has granted us and a select group of users early access to Bing Chat plugins. This sneak peek of Bing Chat third-party plugins appears to be exclusively available within Microsoft Edge, as the feature doesn’t appear on Google Chrome or Apple Safari when accessing Bing using the same Microsoft account.
Back in May, Microsoft unveiled its plans to introduce plugins for Bing Chat, but the rollout was postponed due to an infrastructure upgrade.
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According to Microsoft insiders, the upgrade is now complete, and users are finally gaining access to the plugin feature in Bing Chat.
This update aims to enhance the reliability of Bing Chat, especially when dealing with specific queries.
5 Bing Chat AI Plugins
The deployment of plugins by Microsoft is being gradually extended to a limited set of users through partnerships with certain companies. As of the time of writing, there are currently five plugins available:
- Instacart Plugin: This plugin in Bing Chat lets you delve into discussions about your favorite recipes and take it a step further. It identifies the ingredients you need and offers insights into the recipe.
- Kayak Plugin: Another highly useful plugin for Bing Chat AI, this one allows you to converse with AI about your travel plans, letting the Kayak Plugin handle the heavy lifting. You can search for flights, accommodations, and rental cars, or even receive recommendations that align with your budget.
- Klarna Plugin (U.S. Only): Beyond just chatting about shopping, this Bing Chat plugin streamlines the process of finding the best deals with utmost ease.
- OpenTable Plugin: Transform your dining-out conversations into reservations. Gain restaurant suggestions tailored to your preferences.
- Shop Plugin: Imagine being able to scour millions of products worldwide as you chat. Whether discussing the latest gadgets or a new book, this Bing plugin lets you effortlessly locate and compare products.
How to USE Bing Chat Third-Party Plugins
Users have the capacity to enable up to three plugins concurrently when engaging in chats through Bing. This means you can employ any three plugins while conversing with Bing.
While Microsoft is enthusiastic about cultivating a community of developers to shape the evolution of Bing Chat plugins, some of these plugins may not find widespread use.
This is because many of these companies already offer standalone apps that provide a more robust experience through integration with AI.
For instance, if you’re booking flights, would you opt for the Bing Chat platform or the dedicated Kayak app? Most would choose the latter due to its extended features and direct booking capabilities.
Although Bing Chat can aid in travel planning, it may not be the ideal choice for immediate ticket bookings. Moreover, performance concerns arise.
Our tests indicate that the Bing Chat plugin exhibits slower response times (as demonstrated in the accompanying GIF), yet this experience is anticipated to enhance over the upcoming weeks.
Microsoft is reportedly developing an array of exciting features, including a “No Search” mode that allows you to engage in chats with Bing without the AI conducting searches for every query on Bing.com.
