MMicrosoft has announced the implementation of new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered shopping tools on its Bing search engine and Edge browser. The initiative is part of the company's strategy to mitigate the complexities associated with online shopping, aiming to streamline the process and ensure consumers secure the most suitable products at optimal prices.
In the official announcement, Microsoft wrote, “Our objective is to augment the shopping experience—from the initial spark of inspiration to the thrilling unboxing experience—by simplifying the process and instilling confidence in consumers that they are procuring the right item at the right price.”
The company also underscored the role of AI in these new tools, stating, “We are thrilled to announce new Microsoft Shopping tools in Bing and Edge that assist consumers in shopping and saving with assurance, harnessing the power of AI to facilitate product discovery, research, and purchase completion, all in one place with information sourced from expert sources.”
AI-Driven Buying Guides
The AI-driven Buying Guide is a notable feature among the new tools. It is engineered to aid consumers in product discovery and research. For example, when users input “college supplies” into the Bing search box, the AI shopping assistant generates a customized buying guide. This guide encompasses a comprehensive list of categories and provides suggestions for specific products that may be beneficial for students. It also juxtaposes the specifications of similar items for effortless comparison. The Buying Guides feature is presently accessible in the US, with plans for expansion to other markets in due course.
Review Summaries Feature
Another innovative feature, Review Summaries, enables users to request summarized reviews of any online product via Bing Chat. This feature offers a succinct overview of the top insights and prevalent opinions about a product, thereby facilitating informed purchasing decisions. The global rollout of Review Summaries commences today.
Price Match Functionality
The third feature, Price Match, tracks an item's price post-purchase and assists users in requesting a price match from the retailer if the price decreases. This feature is slated for imminent rollout in the US.
