Microsoft threatens to cut off access to Bing search engine data

The logo of Microsoft US multinational tecnology corporation is seen at Mobile World Congress, the biggest annual gathering of the telecom industry in Barcelona on March 2, 2023. PHOTO AFP Microsoft Corp has threatened to cut off access to its internet-search data, which it licenses to rival search engines, if they don't stop using it as the basis for their own artificial intelligence chat products, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.

The news agency said at least two customers have been told that using its Bing search index - a map of the internet that can be scanned in real time, to feed their AI chat tools against the terms of their contract.

ALSO READ: Google opens access to its rival ChatGPT, Bard.

The licenses that Microsoft has been granted access to its search index may be terminated, according to Bloomberg.

Microsoft didn't respond immediately to a request for a comment.

In February, the maker of Windows operating system said it was revamping its Bing search engine and Edge Web browser with artificial intelligence, signalling its ambition to take the lead in consumer technology markets where it has fallen behind.

The upgraded Bing search engine was rolled out to users late last month.