Microsoft to Retire Bing Search APIs, Promote Azure AI Agents

Core Points - Microsoft will retire Bing Search APIs on August 11, 2023, and will no longer support existing instances or new customer signups [1] - The company is shifting focus to "Grounding with Bing Search," which allows Azure AI Agents to use real-time public web data for generating responses [2][3] - This transition reflects a broader strategy to enhance AI capabilities in response to market demand, as stated by Microsoft executives [4][5] Group 1 - Microsoft is decommissioning Bing Search APIs completely, affecting software developers who utilize these APIs for search results [1][2] - The new service, Grounding with Bing Search, enables chatbots to provide AI-generated responses enriched with real-time data, moving away from raw search results [3] - Microsoft aims to meet market demand for AI solutions, with a support plan in place for affected customers [4] Group 2 - Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella highlighted a "generational shift" in web search due to generative AI, indicating a significant change in user engagement with Bing and Edge [4][5] - The integration of AI features has reportedly led to a 10% increase in revenue from consumer subscriptions to Office 365 in the three months ending in March compared to the previous year [5]