Empower Developers to Unlock AI Innovation with Bing Chat and Microsoft Copilot Plugins

Table of Contents

• Introduction to Bing Chat and Microsoft Copilot Plugins
• Details on the Bing Chat Plugin Model
• Discovering and Adding Plugins in Bing Chat
• Getting Started with Building Your Own Plugin
• Conclusion and Next Steps for Developers

Introduction to Bing Chat and Microsoft Copilot Plugins

Over the last few months, Bing Chat has seen tremendous interest with over 500 million chats and 100 million daily users interacting with search in a whole new way. Users are supercharging their creativity and getting straight to answers thanks to the power of large language models.

Over the past few weeks, Microsoft has shared more about the next wave of AI innovation across the company, including the Copilot system in Microsoft 365, as well as new and upcoming improvements to the Bing Chat experience, such as multimodal conversation with text and images, more languages, and chat history.

Overview of Bing Chat and User Adoption

In a short period of time, Bing Chat has already seen astounding adoption with over 500 million conversations and over 100 million active daily users. This demonstrates how eager people are to interact with search in more natural, conversational ways powered by AI. Bing Chat allows users to get answers, complete tasks, and be more creative by having fluid dialogues. The natural language capabilities help users get to the information they need faster without having to navigate complex menu hierarchies or guess specific keywords.

Announcing the Plugin Model for Bing Chat

To further improve Bing Chat, Microsoft recently announced a new plugin model that allows developers to extend the capabilities of the chatbot. This plugin model uses the same approach as ChatGPT, making plugins fully compatible across Bing Chat, Microsoft Copilot, and ChatGPT. By creating plugins, developers can teach the language models how to interact with their own APIs and services. This lets them connect Bing Chat users to existing apps and data sources to provide more tailored, relevant answers and recommendations.

Details on the Bing Chat Plugin Model

The Bing Chat plugin model uses two main components:

1. A plugin manifest file: This JSON metadata file provides information like the plugin's name, description, authentication details, etc. This powers discovery and integration into the chatbot.

2. An OpenAPI specification: This outlines the API endpoints the language model can call to access the plugin's capabilities. It defines possible requests, parameters, responses, etc.

Creating the Plugin Manifest

The plugin manifest is a JSON file defining metadata like:

• Name and description for humans and the AI model
• Authentication methods required
• An icon for the UI The human-readable description aids discovery when users search for plugins. The description for the model summarizes what the plugin can do at a high-level, allowing the model to decide whether to call it based on the context.

Defining the OpenAPI Specification

The OpenAPI spec is written in JSON or YAML and outlines technical details of the APIs exposed to the language model, such as:

• Endpoints, parameters, data structures
• Descriptions of each API's functionality to guide the model's usage Developers can choose to expose parts of their API selectively. The natural language descriptions help the model determine which API applies to a given user's query.

Submitting Plugins for Review

Once the manifest and OpenAPI spec are complete, developers can submit their Bing Chat plugins for review. After approval, the plugins will become available for users to discover and activate. Stay tuned for more details around the submission process. In the meantime, developers can already create plugins for ChatGPT which will work across Bing Chat and Microsoft Copilot as well.

Discovering and Adding Plugins in Bing Chat

Microsoft Edge is gaining new functionality that will allow easy discovery and activation of Bing Chat plugins:

• New 'Plus' button in Edge Sidebar surfaces recommended extensions, apps, and chat plugins

• Users can view plugin details and add them to their account for access in Bing Chat across devices

New Plugins Section in Microsoft Edge Sidebar

The Edge sidebar's Plus button is becoming a central hub for finding and managing add-ons that enhance browsing and chat. It will include a feed of apps and extensions recommended by Microsoft and third-parties. One section focuses specifically on Bing Chat plugins from the official catalog. Users can learn about each plugin, read descriptions, and quickly add it to their account with one click. This makes the plugins accessible in Bing Chat everywhere - bing.com, Edge, etc.

Using Plugins in Bing Chat Conversations

Once added through the Edge sidebar, plugins activate automatically when relevant in Bing Chat conversations. For example, if a user asks about booking a restaurant and they have the OpenTable plugin installed, Bing Chat will leverage that to provide tailored recommendations and options to reserve tables. The chatbot informs the user when a third-party plugin is used to fulfill a request. The integrated experiences put users in control over any final actions or transactions.

Getting Started with Building Your Own Plugin

Developers interested in creating Bing Chat plugins can start today by building for ChatGPT, ensuring seamless compatibility:

• Construct the plugin manifest file with metadata, descriptions, etc.

• Outline API endpoints in an OpenAPI specification document

• Submit for review once ready for release

We can't wait to see what new experiences developers create by connecting their apps and services to these groundbreaking AI chatbots!

Conclusion and Next Steps for Developers

Bing Chat and Microsoft Copilot are ushering in a new era of natural language search and assistance powered by AI. The plugin model provides an exciting way for developers to extend these capabilities by integrating their own apps and data.

If you're inspired to create a plugin, you can get started today by building for ChatGPT. This will ensure compatibility across Bing Chat and Microsoft offerings as well.

Stay tuned for more details on formal submission and approval processes. We look forward to seeing innovative plugins that give users amazing new ways to accomplish tasks and unlock creativity!

FAQ

Q: What is the Bing Chat plugin model?
A: The Bing Chat plugin model allows developers to connect their APIs and services to Bing Chat, enabling the AI chatbot to directly interact with those capabilities through natural language conversations.

Q: How do I create a plugin manifest?
A: The plugin manifest is a JSON metadata file that provides key details about your plugin such as name, description, authentication requirements, etc. to facilitate discovery and usage.

Q: Do I need an OpenAPI specification?
A: Yes, the OpenAPI specification documents the API endpoints and capabilities you want to expose for Bing Chat integration.

Q: Where can users discover my plugin?
A: Users can discover and add plugins directly within the Microsoft Edge sidebar, which is being enhanced as the central place to manage Bing Chat add-ons.

Q: Can I use my ChatGPT plugin in Bing Chat?
A: Yes, plugins built for ChatGPT will work seamlessly in Bing Chat and across Microsoft's Copilot offerings.

Q: How do I submit my finished plugin?
A: Details on plugin submission into the Bing Chat catalog will be shared soon. For now, developers can start creating plugins for ChatGPT which will automatically work in Bing Chat.

Q: What languages and regions support Bing Chat?
A: Bing Chat is currently available in English in select countries. Additional language support coming soon.

Q: Can I monetize my Bing Chat plugin?
A: We are actively investigating options to provide monetization opportunities for plugin developers. Please stay tuned for future announcements.

Q: Will my plugin work in other Microsoft Copilots?
A: Yes, plugins built using this new model will work seamlessly across Bing Chat, ChatGPT, and other Microsoft Copilot offerings.

Q: Do I need a Microsoft account to build plugins?
A: No, you can build and submit plugins without a Microsoft account using this open model. Verification may be required prior to plugin approval.