With generative AI being integrated into search engines, one of the key questions that marketers have is what will that means for SEO, and how search ads may or may not work in the future. Microsoft, which is in early testing of its new Bing chatbot experience, has provided some early pointers on this, explaining to ad agencies that soon, it’ll allow paid links within AI-generated responses to search results, along with contextual pop-ups around relevant queries.
Bing Bot Ads
Based on the example they provided, Microsoft would look to utilize the available screen Real Estate to display relevant products and promotions. At the same time, ads could also be directly integrated into the response (i.e ‘the Malaga hotel has a special offer available now on rooms’).
Microsoft says that Bing chatbot ads will also be bigger and more prominent than regular Search ads, which could provide more opportunities to reach users as early as the discovery phase.
Of course, this also comes with a level of risk. Already, Microsoft’s new chatbot experience has led to some interesting exchanges with the AI, where the system has gone off the rails and tried to break up marriages, lie to users, and even plan for world domination. Wait, if that last claim has some semblance of the truth, then I need to get my hands on a copy.
These types of exchanges have seen some calls for more stringent controls around the use of AI-powered tools, particularly given the system’s propensity to distribute false or misleading information. One take on this is that it might not be an innate flaw of AI itself, but more on the data used in training these various models – If you feed something that learns from compiling data with data that benefits and are amplified if they feature divisive and harmful content, what do you think that’ll do to the AI?
That could have big implications for advertising and brand safety, especially if brands have concerns about their ads appearing alongside these types of questionable responses.
The Wrap
Even if there isn’t an official beta testing environment (at least we don’t know yet if there actually is), Bing’s waitlist is already well into the millions, potentially representing new and significant opportunities for the tech giant.
It’s possible that we shouldn’t be looking to jump into AI just yet, given the current concerns revolving around the medium. However, if we keep doing it anyway, it does seem that Microsoft is trying to at least make pocket profits. Will that tie into your advertising approach?
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