Bing Chat expands beyond Edge to Chrome and Safari

Microsoft is finally letting its flagship AI out of the Microsoft-only walled garden.

After months of forcing everyone to download and open Microsoft Edge just to try its GPT-4-powered chatbot, the company confirmed that Bing Chat is now rolling out to Google Chrome and Apple Safari for select users.

GPT-4 in Chrome, but with strings attached

Microsoft director of communications Caitlin Roulston confirmed the move, noting that access is currently being flighted to select users as part of tests on non-Microsoft browsers.

Some Windows 10 and 11 users spotted the rollout via taskbar pop-ups inviting them to try Bing AI in Chrome. Others can simply visit Bing.com in Chrome or Safari and hit the Chat button to see if they made the cut.

However, you are definitely not getting the full VIP treatment if you refuse to use Edge.

According to WindowsLatest, which first spotted the test, Bing Chat in Chrome caps conversations at just five turns, compared to the 30 turns permitted in Edge. Microsoft also trimmed the character limit down to 2,000 per prompt instead of the 3,000 allowed on Edge.

Microsoft declined to comment on those specific throttles, or when a broader global rollout will happen. The company is also quietly testing a native dark theme for the chatbot.

Why it matters

Locking Bing Chat to Edge was a classic Microsoft distribution play, but it clearly hit diminishing returns.

Most people simply refuse to ditch Chrome or Safari just to use a chatbot, no matter how good GPT-4 is. By meeting users where they already spend their day, Microsoft dramatically widens its funnel for search ads and data collection while piling pressure back onto Google.

We think the move is smart, but keeping the guardrails so tight in Chrome feels petty. Limiting users to five responses per session turns complex research into a frustrating tease.

It is essentially a freemium model applied to browser choice: you can try the AI anywhere, but the full experience remains a hostage inside Edge. Whether that strategy converts Chrome diehards or just annoys them remains to be seen.