Based on a thorough review of official Microsoft documentation and policies, here is a detailed overview of Bing’s approach to AI-generated content:
Bing’s General Approach to AI Content
Bing does not explicitly forbid AI-generated content. However, Microsoft emphasizes creating high-quality, helpful content primarily for people rather than search engines, regardless of how it is produced. The key factors are the quality, relevance, and value of the content to users, rather than the method of production.
Content Quality and Ranking
Bing ranks web search content by heavily weighting features such as relevance, quality, credibility, and freshness. The search engine strives to provide diverse and comprehensive results while avoiding inadvertently promoting potentially harmful content. More details are available in the Bing Webmaster Guidelines.
AI-Generated Content Guidelines
- Use of AI or automation is not against Bing’s guidelines, as long as it is not primarily used to manipulate search rankings. Learn more about Bing’s Responsible AI Policies.
- Bing’s systems are designed to reward high-quality content that demonstrates expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T principles), regardless of how it is produced.
- Content creators should focus on creating “people-first content” rather than “search engine-first content.”
- Bing’s spam policies address “scaled content abuse,” including using generative AI tools to produce large amounts of content primarily to manipulate search rankings.
AI-Generated Images
For AI-generated images, particularly those created using Bing Image Creator, there are specific guidelines:
- Usage Restrictions: Images created with Bing Image Creator can only be used for “legal personal, non-commercial purposes.”
- Content Policies: Bing prohibits the use of its AI services to produce content that encourages violence, self-harm, illegal activities, adult content, graphic violence, or hate speech. Details are available in Microsoft’s AI Safety Policies.
- Commercial Use: Users are not allowed to use Bing AI outputs (image or text) for commercial purposes (learn more).
- Data Harvesting: Unauthorized extraction of data from Bing AI software for training or enhancing other models is prohibited (AI content usage restrictions).
- Ownership Claims: Microsoft asserts rights over AI-generated outputs. For more details, review the usage guidelines for Bing-generated content.
Transparency and User Experience
- AI Disclosure: Bing provides multiple touchpoints to inform users they are interacting with an AI system (Responsible AI Practices).
- Grounding in Search Results: Responses in Bing Chat based on search results include references to source websites for users to verify the response and learn more (learn about Bing Chat).
- Limitations: To prevent conversational drift, Bing limits the number of turns in chat sessions (chat limitations).
Content Moderation and Safety Measures
- Classifiers and Metaprompting: Bing uses these techniques to detect and mitigate potentially harmful content (content moderation techniques).
- Content Filters: AI-based classifiers and content filters apply to all search results and relevant features (content filtering methods).
- Parental Controls: Family Safety settings provide options for additional protections for younger users (Family Safety Settings).
Privacy and Data Protection
- Microsoft commits to not delivering personalized advertising based on online behavior to users under 18 years of age (privacy and advertising policies).
- Users may see contextual ads based on the query or prompt used to interact with Bing (contextual advertising).
- Microsoft’s privacy practices are detailed in the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
In conclusion, while Bing does not explicitly ban AI-generated content, it emphasizes high-quality, user-focused content regardless of its origin. The platform has implemented measures to ensure responsible AI use in content creation and search, focusing on user safety, content quality, and transparency.