In addition to today's launch of the newly confirmed GPT-4 model, running in Bing, Microsoft also announced that the stable version of Edge will now run with the new Bing AI chatbot in a sidebar. The feature was first announced at Microsoft's AI press event in February but at the time was only available as a developer preview not public release.

That feature, which it describes as the "Edge Copilot," is shipping today with the stable version of the Microsoft Edge browser following official unveiling of GPT-4.

The update overhauls the notion of the sidebar, which previously housed Edge's "Discover" feature-which was aimed at providing users context for the page they are visiting. But this new sidebar will actually offer an AI chatbot.

The features of AI and the sidebar can be accessed by simply hovering over the Bing icon in the toolbar to open the sidebar, where users can interact with them. The sidebar may automatically hide it when not in use.

Indeed, while open, users can exploit the Edge Copilot-the AI feature that's capable of providing "intelligent suggestions and insights based on the context of the web page and the user's goals," according to Microsoft.

According to a company explanation at its event, the AI chatbot rolled out with two essential functionalities at launch: chat and compose. Together, these can help users do things like summarize lengthy web content, run comparisons, or even create content in some cases.

For instance, in one of Microsoft's demos, the AI had presented the summary of the financial statements of a company, but incidentally got its numbers wrong, it was later found out. In another demo, a developer asked the AI to write a line of code while searching through Stack Overflow for tips. The AI managed to convert Python code to Rust. As shown by Microsoft, the AI can also write a LinkedIn post after receiving a few prompts.

Today the company suggested the AI Copilot might also be used to help the user make their emails better, search faster on the web, and learn new skills in general.

Not surprisingly, there was no shortage of productivity plays regarding AI. Today Google also outlined how it's integrating AI into its productivity solution, Workspace. Its vision includes integration of generative AI everywhere in Workspace-for example, helping draft emails in Gmail and compose and edit texts in Docs, generating formulas in Sheets, recording notes in Meet, and composing text, images, audio, and video in Slides. Microsoft is expected to detail how it plans to respond to Google's move later this week.

Google all-in on bringing AI to Workspace

Even though this sidebar is perhaps the most publicized new Edge feature, it can be locked down by IT admins. Microsoft reports that admins will be able to make the decision if users can ever see the sidebar in Edge-in an important consideration, given that some companies now prohibit sharing confidential company information with ChatGPT and other AI bots, Walmart and Amazon included.

The sidebar from the AI isn't the only new feature coming to Edge with this release, though.

Another new experience being rolled out by the company is appearing in the Microsoft 365 tab of the Edge Enterprise new tab page. That now includes a larger version of the Microsoft Feed, including more content on productivity and moves cards for important emails, recent SharePoint sites, upcoming events, and to-do items over to the right-hand side of the tab.

In addition, the browser will contain some security mode upgrades and will add a new policy regarding whether or not the user's browsing history is cleared when the user exits the browser application.

The stable version of its Edge web browser will be rolled out over one or more days, Microsoft reports. The browser can be used on Windows and Mac operating systems.