What Bing AI Search Choice Does and Why It Matters
Bing AI Search Choice is a browser extension from Microsoft that lets you disable Bing Copilot-style AI answers so your search results focus on traditional web links instead of generated summaries. When enabled, it adds a clear toggle so you can turn off AI answers or switch them back on whenever you like, giving you more control over how much AI appears in your everyday searches. This matters because Bing has woven Copilot into search by default, but many people still prefer classic results for quick fact-checking, research, or privacy reasons. According to Microsoft executive Jordi Ribas, “AI is doing powerful things for search, but research tells us that not everyone wants to use AI for everything all the time.” The extension is Microsoft’s most direct response so far to that demand for user choice.
How to Install the Bing Search Extension in Chrome
To disable Bing Copilot in Google Chrome, start by installing the Bing AI Search Choice extension from the Chrome Web Store. Open the store, search for “Bing AI Search Choice,” then select the official Microsoft listing and click Add to Chrome. After installation, Chrome will show a new toolbar icon for the Bing search extension. The first time it runs, it will set Bing as your browser’s default search engine and open Bing on new tabs, which is a trade-off you should be aware of before continuing. Once active, the extension gives you a one-click Copilot disable option: use the toggle on Bing search pages to turn off AI answers so you see mostly standard blue links. You can always switch the toggle back if you want Copilot-style summaries for a particular session.
How to Use Bing AI Search Choice in Microsoft Edge
On Microsoft Edge, you disable Bing Copilot with the same Bing AI Search Choice extension from the Edge Add-ons store. Open the Add-ons site, search for “Bing AI Search Choice,” and install the official Microsoft extension. After installation, Edge will set Bing as your default search engine and open Bing on every new tab, aligning your browser with Microsoft’s search while giving you control over AI responses. On Bing search result pages, look for the new AI toggle linked to the extension. Switching it off tells Bing to stop showing Copilot-style summaries and focus on ordinary web results. Edge already has some Copilot controls in its interface, but this extension applies directly to the content of the search results, so you can keep using Bing while turning off AI answers whenever they are more distraction than help.
Turn Off AI Answers Per Search with the “-ai” Trick
If you do not want another Bing search extension, you can still disable Bing Copilot on demand using a simple query trick. Add the parameter “-ai” (without quotes) to the end of any Bing search to turn off AI answers for that one query. For example, instead of searching “best noise-cancelling headphones”, search “best noise-cancelling headphones -ai” to nudge Bing toward classic results without Copilot summaries. This approach works in any browser and does not change your default search engine or require installation. It is ideal if you only occasionally want to turn off AI answers, or if you are testing how Bing behaves with and without Copilot. You can mix and match: use normal searches when you want AI help, and bring in “-ai” when you need a cleaner, link-first results page.
Why Microsoft Is Offering a Copilot Disable Option
The new Copilot disable option shows how search is shifting. Google is pushing deeper into AI results, while lower-AI engines like DuckDuckGo have gained new interest from users who prefer traditional lists of links. Microsoft is trying to sit in the middle: Bing keeps Copilot as a core feature but now offers an off switch through Bing AI Search Choice and the “-ai” operator. According to reporting, the extension is also a search-distribution tool, because installing it sets Bing as your default search engine and opens Bing on new tabs. For Microsoft, the preview lets the company test demand for visible AI controls before building them into Bing directly. For users, it means you can keep using Bing while deciding, search by search, whether you want AI-generated answers, ordinary results, or a mix of both.
