Microsoft recently demonstrated its new AI-powered Bing search engine. And while the first features are impressive enough, the big question is will this new direction deliver Google its first real threat?

Now let’s be clear, whatever Microsoft can do in search, Google can probably do better. And that will probably be the case for AI-powered search as well. But will the head-start Microsoft seems to have give it the edge and pose a serious threat to Google?

We think not.

While Microsoft’s first demo of it’s AI-powered search engine was impressive enough, it was not “blow me away” impressive. And Google is of course also not asleep at the wheel when it comes to AI. The search giant has already subtly incorporated AI into Google Search, and maintains that it is working on the next big thing when it comes to AI – but is happy to take its time to get it right.

As for the current stats: Google had an 84% share of global search in December 2022, compared to Bing’s 9%