Microsoft reportedly threatens to cut-off Bing search data access to rival AI chat products

Microsoft has reportedly warned rival search engines that it may revoke their access to its internet-search data if they persist in using it to develop their own AI chat products. According to a recent report by Bloomberg, Microsoft has informed at least two customers that using its Bing search index, which provides a real-time map of the internet, to feed their own AI chat tools is in violation of their contract terms.

Sources familiar with the dispute say that Microsoft may terminate licenses that provide access to its search index, putting at risk the AI chat products that rely on this data. It is unclear which search engines are using Microsoft's data for their own AI chat products.

Microsoft had previously announced in February that it was upgrading its Bing search engine and Edge Web browser with artificial intelligence to take the lead in consumer technology markets where it has fallen behind. The upgraded Bing search engine was rolled out to users last month, but it appears that the company is now taking a stricter approach to the use of its search index data.

Also read: OpenAI issues warning to ChatGPT users after bug leaks private conversations

The tech giant licenses its Bing search index data to other companies, which offer web search services. This data, which is essentially a real-time map of the internet that can be scanned quickly, is licensed to search engines such as Yahoo, owned by Apollo Global Management, and DuckDuckGo.

In February, Microsoft integrated an AI-powered chat technology developed by OpenAI, into Bing. If Microsoft goes through with its threat, many AI chat providers may need to find alternative sources of data to power their products.

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