Developing
A preview, offered to learn what users want, at a time when search engines push AI answers harder.
In 60 seconds
- On June 8, 2026 Microsoft Bing launched ways to disable AI-generated Copilot responses in results.
- One is a preview extension for Chrome and Edge; the other is adding -ai to a query.
- Jordi Ribas, president of search at Microsoft, said the extension lets people toggle AI chat-like features on or off.
- Michael Schechter of Microsoft said the extension approach helps Microsoft understand what people want before broader integration.
Impact Layer
- What changed
- A major search engine gave users a direct opt-out of AI answers.
- Why it matters
- It shows demand for classic results and gives publishers and SEOs a reason not to assume every search shows an AI answer.
- Who is affected
- SEO teams, publishers and anyone tracking visibility in Bing and Copilot.
- Martech stack area
- SEO & Search
- Stack impact
- Expect some Bing users to see only classic results; keep ranking in blue links as well as AI answers.
- Business impact
- Low A preview feature with no usage data in the sources we read.
- What to watch
- How many people use the opt-out, and whether Google offers something similar.
On June 8, 2026, Microsoft Bing announced a way for people to disable AI-generated Copilot responses in search results, according to Search Engine Roundtable.
Two ways to turn it off
- A browser extension, offered as a preview, for Chrome and Edge.
- Adding
-aito the end of a search query.
Jordi Ribas, president of search at Microsoft, said: “We just shipped a preview extension in Bing that lets you toggle AI chat-like features on or off.” Michael Schechter of Microsoft said the extension approach allows Microsoft to “better understand what people are looking for” before wider integration. The report adds that this follows a rise in DuckDuckGo usage, partly because it does not show AI-generated responses.
Our read
An opt-out button from a company that has pushed Copilot into search is a signal that a share of users prefer classic results. For marketers the point is practical: not every Bing search will carry an AI answer, so a page that ranks well in ordinary results still has a route to visitors. We do not know how many people will use the switch, and Microsoft calls the extension a preview.
Sources
- Search Engine Roundtable: Microsoft Bing gives searchers a way to disable AI Copilot answers (opens in a new tab)
Source of the date, the two methods and the quotations.