Bing's No-Search Revolution

Bing's No-Search Revolution

Imagine asking a tech-savvy friend for info on coding or math, but instead of scouring the web for answers, they already know the solution—just for you. That's a bit like what Bing's new "No Search" feature is aiming to do with its AI chatbot, Bing Chat.

The No-Search Concept

Mikhail Parakhin, CEO of Bing Search at Microsoft, announced that Bing Chat would be getting a feature to not search the web when answering questions. This feature, known as #nosearch, could be particularly useful for tasks like coding, math, and other areas where searching the web may not add value.

Official Support and Rollout

By September 2023, this feature had progressed from testing to a plugin that Microsoft is waiting to roll out to more Bing Chat users. It's as simple as adding "#nosearch" at the end of a message to Bing Chat, and it won't use the web to find your answer.

Why No-Search is Helpful

The No Search feature can enhance the AI chatbot's capabilities. For example, it could help users solve complex math problems, do some coding, or have casual conversations without irrelevant web search results.

Excluding Pages from Google's Sitemap

It's not just Bing; the term "no_search" is also seen in a different context. In the world of web development, "no_search" is a field used in the typo3-dd_googlesitemap extension for excluding pages from a website's sitemap submitted to Google.

Removing Distractions

A Chrome extension called "No Search For" removes the "People also searched for" box on the Google search results page. This feature prevents distracting search results from appearing, which could be useful for focused research.

The No Search revolution is a sign of AI chatbots' growing sophistication and the increasing trust users place in them. As technology evolves, we'll likely see more features that help us navigate the world of knowledge without leaving the comfort of an AI interface.