Key Highlights:
- Microsoft has introduced two ways to remove AI Search answers from Bing: a browser extension with a toggle and the -ai search operator.
- The extension works with Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge but also sets Bing as the default search engine.
- Unlike Bing, Google does not offer a direct setting to disable AI Overviews, although users can select its Web filter to view text-based links without AI summaries.
Microsoft is giving Bing users more autonomy over how artificial intelligence appears in their search results by offering options to disable AI Search answers. Announced on November 11, the new approach allows users to switch between AI-generated summaries and conventional search results through a browser extension or a search command. The move comes as AI Search answers become feasible across search engines including Microsoft’s Bing and Google Search.
While these summaries can help users, some prefer browsing individual websites and facilitating a comparison by themselves. Microsoft’s latest update addresses that preference, while also highlighting a difference in how the two major search engines handle AI-free search.
How Can Users Turn Off AI Search Answers in Microsoft Bing?
Microsoft announced two ways for users to browse Bing without AI Search answers. The first is the Microsoft Bing AI Search Choice browser extension, currently available in preview for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Once installed, it adds a toggle that lets users switch AI Search answers on or off. The preference applies across their Bing searches, so they do not need to adjust their setting for every query. However, installing the extension comes with an additional change.
Bing becomes the browser’s default search engine. This means users who currently depend on Google or another search engine may need to consider that change before installing it. For those who do not want to install an extension, Microsoft also offers an easier option. Users can add -ai at the end of a Bing search query to remove AI Search answers from that particular search. For example, searching for “best games of 2026 -ai” will return results without the usual AI summaries. Unlike the browser extension, this method requires users to add the command manually whenever they want an AI-free search.
Microsoft explained in its November 11 announcement that users should have the freedom to decide whether AI is involved in every search session. The company said some searches benefit from quick AI Search answers, while others are better suited to traditional results that allow users to compare different sources and decide which information to trust.
How Does Google’s AI Overview Policy Compare With Microsoft’s Bing Update?
Google takes a different approach to controlling AI Search results. Unlike Microsoft’s new Bing extension, Google does not provide a dedicated setting that allows users to completely disable AI Overviews. According to Google’s Search Help documentation, AI Overviews are considered a core part of Search, similar to knowledge panels, and cannot be switched off through a direct setting.
However, Google does offer a way to browse without these summaries through its Web filter. After entering a search query, users can select the Web option in the search filters, sometimes available under the More menu. This displays text-based website links without features such as AI Overviews. The difference is that Google’s option filters the results after a search rather than providing a persistent setting to keep AI summaries disabled across searches.
The comparison emphasizes two different approaches to user control. Microsoft offers a browser-level toggle that remembers the user’s preference across Bing searches, alongside a manual search operator for individual queries. Google keeps AI Overviews integrated into its standard search experience but allows users to switch to a conventional web-results view when needed.
Microsoft’s announcement also reflects a broader question facing search companies as they integrate generative AI into their products: how much control should users have over AI Search content? While AI summaries can reduce the time needed to find basic information, traditional search results give users more direct access to individual sources. By introducing these options, Microsoft is making the choice more explicit for Bing users, while Google’s current policy continues to treat AI Overviews as a built-in Search feature.
