Microsoft Wants To Restrict Artificial Intelligence, But Not To Protect You | CPT PPP Coverage

With examples of artificial intelligence pulling off unthinkable tasks like not only passing law exams but also helping in a court case, the field of possibilities is greater than ever. And, with all of these huge steps forward there’s also bound to be bitter rivalries between companies who want to make sure that they make more than a dime on the latest technology boom. As first reported by Bloomberg, Microsoft has entered the chat and is setting out to ensure that the competition doesn’t use their Bing search engine to fuel their AI chatbots.

According to the report, Microsoft passed on a message to two unidentified Bing-driven search engines that the company would be limiting access to what they’re allowed to use when it comes to Microsoft-owned artificial intelligence technology, adding that if they don’t, they’ll pull the plug completely. While it’s unclear which companies Microsoft sent the warning to, we do know that they give Bing access to platforms including Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and You.com. 

When it comes to how much of Bing’s arsenal each off-shoot uses, it varies from leaning more heavily on the search engine to a well-balanced combination with their own tools, as is the case for DuckDuckGo and You.com. Essentially, using Microsoft’s vast system allows these programs to gather information faster than doing it on their own, meaning that if the company was to pull the carpet from underneath them and no longer allow access, it would be a major hit. The main hang-up that may be putting a pause on Microsoft’s willingness to share artificial intelligence is that they don’t want their competition to use Bing for AI chatbots. 

According to the report, Microsoft has reason to believe that one or more of these companies is using Bing in what would be a violation of their contract. If this is discovered to be true and their artificial intelligence is being utilized beyond the boundaries of their signed agreement, the guilty search engine could be bumped from Microsoft’s platform. While the threat has been issued, with a cease-and-desist-like action being taken, it’s yet unclear whether the unnamed company has put an end to its alleged breach of contract. 

In recent weeks and months, as the artificial intelligence boom has really taken off, the very basis of its design has been called into question by parties wondering if it’s actually a tool that will better mankind. Programs like ChatGPT have already proven to be wise beyond what we could have ever imagined, mastering our education system and putting human college students to shame. The Google-created program even has a sassy side, recently revealing why DC’s latest superhero flick, Shazam! Fury of the Gods struck out at the box office. 

With Microsoft planning on holding its cards close to its chest and ensuring that no one else is accessing its full array of artificial intelligence data, the company is setting boundaries and telling the rest of the technology world that they’re planning to join Google at the top. As AI continually progresses, it’s anyone’s guess what Microsoft will come up with next and if they’ll need to flex their muscles and bump off any of their users to succeed.