Microsoft does it again, caught shoving CoPilot and Bing Search down users throat when searching for Gemini and Google

Microsoft is at it again. The tech giant has been caught pushing its own AI assistant, Copilot, and search engine, Bing, on users who are just trying to find information about Google’s products. Users noticed that typing “Gemini” into Bing, hoping to get to Google’s AI chatbot, instead get hit with a big, bold banner for Copilot, Microsoft’s rival offering. It’s like asking for a Pepsi and having the waiter insist you try their house cola instead.

You might have already seen Microsoft promoting its Edge browser when you search for Google Chrome on Bing. That has been around for what feels like forever. However, more recently the company made a very shady move that resulted in a lot of backlash. I’m talking about how Bing was trying to pull a fast one and trick users into believing they were on Google Search. This seemed so desperate that even top Google employees also had to comment on it.

Now, Microsoft is trying to promote Copilot in the same way. When you search for Gemini on Bing, you’ll see a Copilot input field where you can type in your queries. This is clearly designed with the hopes of preventing users from heading to Gemini.

So why’s this a big deal? For starters, it’s annoying. You’re searching for one thing, and suddenly you’re dodging ads for something else. It’s confusing too, especially if you’re not the type to notice the fine print.

Copilot apparently told Forbes it’s about helping users find stuff faster while giving advertisers a boost. Sounds reasonable, right? But not everyone’s buying it. Many argue it’s a sneaky way to hog the spotlight and nudge users away from Google.

Think about it from Microsoft’s side for a second. They’re playing catch-up. Google owns search and has a head start in AI. Bing and Copilot need all the help they can get to grab some market share. Pushing their stuff front and center might be a bold play to level the field. But there’s a line, and plenty of folks think Microsoft’s crossing it. When you tweak search results to hide the competition, it’s not just advertising — it’s meddling.

The worst part is that it’s not even affecting just Google’s products. As noticed by Barry Schwartz from Search Engine Roundtable, Bing shows the same Copilot banner even when searching for Grok, Perplexity, ChatGPT, etc. I tested this myself and can confirm that it’s indeed still happening.

Users are stuck in the middle of this tech tug-of-war. Will Microsoft’s hard sell win them loyal fans, or just tick people off? Hard to say. What’s obvious is that the fight between these two giants isn’t slowing down. Google’s got the edge for now, but Microsoft’s not backing off. Next time you search for Gemini or Google on Bing, don’t be surprised if Copilot pops up to say hello. The battle for your screen is heating up, and it’s getting messy.