- It is the only aspect of the current model that has not changed.
- This could be related to Bing’s investment in OpenAI and ChatGPT.
- Developers must decide whether to stick with a Bing that is finally getting its due.
Microsoft will apply price increases for the Bing Search Application Program Interface (API) across all markets starting in May 2023.
Microsoft announced the modification in a blog post(opens in new tab) (via The Register(opens in new tab)), stating that existing price plans will experience increases beginning on May 1, 2023. Strangely, the same statement also states that “you’ll be charged the new price for all Microsoft Bing APIs” as of the same date.
Because these plans are pay-as-you-go rather than rolling subscriptions, it won’t be possible to be “grandfathered” into the previous pricing models, as is frequently the case for price increases in subscription services.
The free offering, which permits 1,000 free transactions per month, is the only aspect of the current model that has not changed. However, even the least expensive paid offering is experiencing a 257% increase, placing everyone else in a difficult situation.
The changes could be related to Bing’s announcement of a “multi-billion dollar” investment in OpenAI, as well as the incorporation of ChatGPT into the search engine (albeit behind a waiting list) in February 2023.
It’s possible that upcoming changes to Bing will increase Microsoft’s costs, or it could simply be riding the PR wave created by AI’s application to ubiquitous consumer tech like web browsers.
In any case, developers must decide whether to stick with a Bing that is finally getting its due, or to vote with their wallets and look elsewhere.
[embedpost slug=”/microsoft-bing-says-it-encounters-billions-of-unseen-urls-daily/”]
