AI Knowledge Base: Gemini, CoPilot, ChatGPT

(12/1/23)

Bing Chat’s Summarize feature is a powerful tool that can help users to quickly and easily digest the main points of any web page, article, document, or PDF. The feature uses natural language processing and deep learning to analyze the content of the source material and generate a concise and accurate summary. The summary can be customized according to the user’s preferences, such as the length, format, and level of detail. Here are some key elements of the summarizing function:

• Page Context: This is a setting that allows Bing Chat to access the current web page or document that the user is viewing in Microsoft Edge, and provide relevant information based on the content. For example, if the user asks Bing Chat to “summarize this page”, it will automatically provide a summary of the webpage they are viewing, whether it be an article, report, how-to guide, or shopping page. To enable Page Context, the user needs to go to Settings in Microsoft Edge, select Sidebar, select Bing Chat under Apps and notifications settings, and adjust the Page context toggle to activate1.
• Prompts: These are the commands or questions that the user can type in Bing Chat to request a summary of a web page, article, document, or PDF. The user can either paste the URL of the source material, or use the Page Context feature to access the current web page or document. The user can also specify the type of summary they want, such as a list of bullet points, key takeaways, or a paragraph. For example, the user can type “summarize this article for me into a list of bullet points” or “summarize this PDF in a paragraph and generate some key takeaways”. Bing Chat will then respond with the requested summary, using its own words and not copying from the source material.
• References: These are the sources that Bing Chat uses to generate the summary, and that the user can consult for more information on the summarizing feature. Bing Chat provides the URL of the source material, and also cites other web pages, articles, documents, or PDFs that are related to the topic or that explain how to use the summarizing feature. The user can click on the links to access the references, or ask Bing Chat to provide more details on them. Bing Chat uses the APA style to cite the references, following the format of author, date, title, and URL. For example, Devine, R. (2023). How to summarize web pages with Bing Chat in Microsoft Edge. Windows Central. 1.

The summarizing feature can be used for various purposes, such as:

• Saving reading time: The user can use the summarizing feature to get a quick overview of the main points of a long or complex web page, article, document, or PDF, without having to read the whole text. This can help the user to decide whether they want to read the source material in full, or to get the gist of it without missing any important information.
• Studying or researching: The user can use the summarizing feature to help them study or research a topic, by summarizing the key facts, concepts, arguments, or findings from various web pages, articles, documents, or PDFs. This can help the user to compare and contrast different sources, synthesize the information, and identify the gaps or questions that need further exploration.
• Writing or editing: The user can use the summarizing feature to help them write or edit their own web pages, articles, documents, or PDFs, by summarizing the content of their drafts, or of other sources that they want to refer to or cite. This can help the user to check the clarity, coherence, and accuracy of their writing, and to avoid plagiarism or repetition.

The summarizing feature has some limitations, such as:

• Accuracy and reliability: The summarizing feature is based on artificial intelligence, which means that it is not always 100% accurate or reliable. The summary may not capture all the nuances, details, or implications of the source material, or may contain errors or inconsistencies. The user should always verify the summary with the original source, and use their own judgment and critical thinking to evaluate the information.
• Language and format: The summarizing feature can only summarize web pages, articles, documents, or PDFs that are written in the same language as the user’s message, and that are in a readable format. The summarizing feature may not work well with sources that are in a different language, or that are in a non-textual format, such as images, videos, audio, or graphs. The user should always check the language and format of the source material before requesting a summary.
• Privacy and security: The summarizing feature requires the user to grant Bing Chat access to the web page or document that they want to summarize, which may pose some privacy and security risks. The user should always be careful about what web pages or documents they share with Bing Chat, and read the terms and conditions and privacy policy of Bing Chat before using the summarizing feature.

Learn more:

1. bing.com2. windowscentral.com3. reddit.com4. updf.com5. microsoft.com6. tomsguide.com