Microsoft today added OpenAI’s DALL-E AI image generation to both Bing search and a sidebar in the Edge browser, through the Bing Image Creator preview. This feature allows users to ask the chatbot to create an image with a direct description or a follow-up to a previous query. For instance, users can ask Bing to draw ideas for revamping their living room based on specific criteria. The Image Creator is currently available to selected Bing desktop and mobile users in preview and through a dedicated site (bing.com/create), and Edge users have access as well.

The company has applied additional protections beyond OpenAI‘s own to prevent the creation of potentially harmful images. Microsoft clarifies that the images are AI-generated, including through watermarks. While the technology only supports English, Microsoft plans to fine-tune the system’s behavior in multi-step chats, and more languages are in the works.

Microsoft is also rolling out AI-based Knowledge Cards that offer dynamic quick-glance information like charts and timelines, and Stories that provide images and short videos linked to searched topics. This move comes just as Adobe has unveiled plans to put generative AI in Photoshop, After Effects, and Premiere Pro, while NVIDIA is launching a customizable cloud AI service that includes image creation. Microsoft is not competing directly with Adobe or NVIDIA, but it is joining a wave of tech giants that see AI image production as a valuable tool.

The Bing Image Creator might also provide a competitive edge over Google, which only recently widened access to its Bard AI chat following a limited test. As AI continues to transform various industries, Microsoft’s move to incorporate AI image generation into its search engine and browser provides a unique and innovative way for users to access and create visual content. It also underscores the company’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in the industry.