mobaeo®Blog
PTENES
RadarShare

Microsoft launches a browser extension to turn AI answers on or off in Bing

In preview for Chrome and Edge, the extension adds a toggle that removes AI-generated summaries from search results, and the -ai command does the same without installing anything.

By MOBAEO Newsroom··2 min read

Follow
Minimalist photo of white electrical rocker switches on a textured stone wall background.
Photo: Srattha Nualsate/Pexels

Microsoft now offers Bing users two ways to search without AI-generated answers. The main one is an extension for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, still in preview, with a toggle that switches those answers on and off. The other requires no installation at all: just add -ai to the end of any search.

The announcement came on the official Bing Search blog on November 11. The company says its research shows users want to decide, session by session, whether AI plays a part in their search. Sometimes a quick summary is all they need; other times they would rather scan the results, compare sources and choose for themselves which information to trust.

How the extension works

The extension is called Microsoft Bing AI Search Choice. Once installed, it shows a simple switch: when it is on, Bing displays AI-generated summaries; when it is off, the page shows only traditional results and links. The setting applies to every search on Bing.

There is one catch at install time: the extension also makes Bing the browser's default search engine. It is available in both the Chrome and Edge extension stores.

For anyone who would rather not install anything, the -ai command handles it one search at a time. In Microsoft's own example, a query like why is the sky blue -ai returns results without the AI-generated answer.

The company says it is proud of the AI experiences it builds into Bing and frames the option to turn them off as a step toward putting users in control of how they use the technology. Because the extension is in preview, Microsoft notes the tool may change based on feedback and asks users to share their thoughts on X.

What it means for brands

With the toggle, the same Bing user may see an AI-generated summary on one search and just a list of results and links on another, depending on their choice. For brand marketers, that means visibility on Bing now spans both formats: the AI answer, when it is switched on, and the traditional results, when the user prefers to compare sources on their own.

Key questions

How do you turn off AI answers in Bing?

Install the Microsoft Bing AI Search Choice extension in Chrome or Edge and use its toggle, or add -ai to the end of your search, with no installation needed.

Does the extension change any browser settings?

Yes. When installed, it also sets Bing as the default search engine.

Does the choice apply to every search?

With the extension, yes: the setting applies to all searches on Bing. The -ai command only applies to the search where it is used.

Source: Bing Search.

More in Radar
Meta's Muse AI assistant will now phone businesses for you, from dinner reservations to your insurerThe feature, announced on November 12, is available to paid subscribers in the United States and covers everything from restaurant bookings to calls with insurance and cable companies.Google's AI Overviews are generating images on the fly again, but only for some usersThe in-Search image generation feature was announced in July and paused in August. Now it is showing up again in some browsers, though not in all of them.Google makes Gemini 4 Hydrogen the default model in AI Mode and for the toughest AI Overviews queriesGoogle's new model handles multi-part questions, surfaces a wider range of links and more visuals, and now answers the hardest queries in AI Overviews.OpenAI now lets brands claim and manage their own profiles inside ChatGPTThrough the new Business Hub, verified companies can update products, prices and availability and see mention metrics, but access outside the US is still limited.