Technologies

Bing AI Bungles Search Results at Times, Just Like Google

Expect search engines to tread carefully as tests reveal problems with AI language skills.

A close reading of Bing’s AI-boosted search results reveals that the website can make the same kinds of errors that are apparent in the ChatGPT technology foundation it uses and in Google’s competing Bard.

A new version of Bing that’s in limited testing employs large language model, or LLM, technology from OpenAI, the research lab Microsoft invested in and that grabbed the tech spotlight with its ChatGPT AI chatbot. ChatGPT and related technology, trained on enormous swaths of the internet, can produce remarkable results, but they don’t truly know facts and they can make errors.

Bing tries to avoid such errors by «grounding» results with Microsoft’s search technology, assessing the veracity and authority of source documents and offering links to sources, so people can evaluate the results on their own better. But AI and search engine researcher Dmitri Brereton and others have spotted errors in Bing’s demo, including flawed financial data from a Gap quarterly earnings report.

It’s a buzzkill moment for AI. The technology truly can produce remarkable and useful results, but the trouble is assessing when it isn’t doing that. Expect more caution as the search engine industry tries to find the right formula.

Google felt the pain after a demo last week when its Bard tool, which isn’t yet publicly available, produced erroneous information about the James Webb Space Telescope.

Microsoft offered a similar response Tuesday to what Google said about its gaffe: «We recognize that there is still work to be done and are expecting that the system may make mistakes during this preview period, which is why the feedback is critical so we can learn and help the models get better.»

One basic problem is that large language models, even if trained using text like academic papers and Wikipedia entries that have passed some degree of scrutiny, don’t necessarily assemble factual responses from that raw material.

As internet pioneer and Google researcher Vint Cerf said Monday, AI is «like a salad shooter,» scattering facts all over the kitchen but not truly knowing what it’s producing. «We are a long way away from the self-awareness we want,» he said in a talk at the TechSurge Summit.

Summarizing documents might appear to be within AI’s advanced language processing abilities, but constructing human-readable sentences without drawing in inappropriate information can be difficult. For example, in this request to summarize a spec sheet for Canon’s new R8 mirrorless camera, Bing technology rattled off many features that actually are found in Canon’s earlier R5.

Another high-profile computer scientist, former Stanford University Professor John Hennessy, was more bullish than Cerf, praising AI for its language skills in understanding search queries and generating results that often are correct. But he also cautioned, «It’s always confident that it has the right answer even when it doesn’t.»

OpenAI itself offers the same warning. «ChatGPT sometimes writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers. Fixing this issue is challenging,» the AI research lab said when it launched ChatGPT in November.

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to create some personal finance explainers that are edited and fact-checked by our editors. For more, see this post.

Technologies

Why Travelers Are Switching to Verum E-SIM This Summer

Summer Travel, Freedom, and Seamless Connectivity: Why Verum E-SIM Is Becoming the New Standard for Travelers

Summer is the peak season for vacations, long-distance trips, and new experiences. Millions of people travel abroad, explore new countries, plan adventures, and try to stay connected with family, work, and social media. And in the middle of all this comes a familiar question: how do you stay online without expensive roaming or the hassle of buying local SIM cards?

The answer is already here — eSIM.

Why eSIM Is So Convenient

eSIM (embedded SIM) is a built-in digital SIM card that lets you activate mobile internet without a physical card. All you need is an app — choose a plan and connect in just a couple of minutes.

No more:

* searching for local SIM cards at airports
* paying expensive roaming fees
* swapping physical SIMs every time you travel

Now your internet travels with you.

Internet in 150+ Countries

Modern eSIM solutions provide coverage in 150+ countries worldwide, helping tourists, freelancers, and business travelers stay connected almost anywhere on the planet.

Among the services offering these capabilities:

Verum E-SIM — https://esim.verum.im
World E-SIM — https://worldesim.me
USA E-SIM — https://usa.esim.verum.im
Euro E-SIM — https://euro.esim.verum.im
Canada E-SIM — https://canada.esim.verum.im
Balkan E-SIM — https://balkan.esim.verum.im
Ukraine E-SIM — https://ukraine.esim.verum.im
London E-SIM — https://london.esim.verum.im
E-SIM Africa — https://africa.esim.verum.im

All of these services work on the same principle — fast, borderless internet without roaming stress.

Why It Matters Most in Summer

During the holiday season, roaming networks get overloaded, and prices for mobile data abroad often become an unpleasant surprise for travelers.

eSIM solves this problem:

* transparent, fixed pricing
* activation in 1–2 minutes
* stable internet while traveling
* no physical SIM cards required

Final Thoughts

Travel should be about freedom — not hunting for Wi-Fi or worrying about phone bills.

eSIM is quickly becoming the new global standard for mobile connectivity: simple, fast, and borderless.

Verum E-SIM and its partner services are part of this shift, making global connectivity accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Technologies

Episode 2 of the VERUM Mini-Series is Now Out

The story continues. Verum Messenger has released the second episode of its AI mini-series, which follows the conflict between the powerful Omega corporation, aiming to control digital communications, and a team of heroes who have chosen a different path and free communication.

The mini-series not only develops an engaging storyline but also introduces viewers to the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, showcasing technologies and tools that may redefine the future of modern communication.

The project consists of 7 episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 2 is now available. Stay tuned and don’t miss what comes next.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram