Mashable: The visual search feature will be available within the next few weeks or months.

Microsoft is stepping up its game in the search engine market with new features for its Bing search and chat service. The company has announced that it is going to remove the waiting list for users to test the service and introduce new features, including the ability to request and post images.

Microsoft is leveraging OpenAI's GPT-4 system to facilitate so-called multimodal features that combine text and images in order to maintain its market momentum. Microsoft vice president Yusuf Mehdi stated that the visual search feature will be available within the next few weeks or months.

One of the most intriguing features of the new Bing is the ability to use third-party services such as OpenTable and Wolfram Alpha through Bing chat and receive video and chart-based responses. During a demonstration in Manhattan, Mehdi demonstrated how a user can write "Find me a dinner reservation for two in New York City tonight" and receive a link to the reservation service OpenTable.

Satya Nadella, the chief executive officer of Microsoft, stated last month that Bing app installations have quadrupled since the introduction of the AI-powered product and that Bing increased its market share in the United States market during the quarter, without providing specifics. The efforts are part of a larger Microsoft initiative to integrate AI into all key products using the company's increased investment in OpenAI.

Mehdi remarked that the new visual search capabilities will present a greater challenge to the Microsoft Responsible AI team, which has been attempting to deal with biased, distressing, or inappropriate content as hundreds of millions of users test the new product. The team is working to ensure safety by evaluating technology and plans against harmful, inclusive, transparent, and objective criteria.

With these new features, Microsoft is reviving competition in the search market, which has been long dominated by Google. Microsoft's efforts are part of a larger company-wide shift designed to capitalize on the company's increased investment in OpenAI and integrate AI into all main products. The company has made progress but is still addressing issues such as incorrect or incomplete information and responses.

Microsoft unveiled the new features at a press event in New York, where Bing's most recent capabilities were demonstrated through a juice bar in which the chatbot generated drink recipes and customized commemorative cards for attendees. Microsoft intends to soon make Edge browser users' search histories readily accessible via a sidebar. Users will be able to resume where they left off in previous conversations.