Microsoft is once again inserting ‘malware-like’ pop-up ads into Chrome for Windows users

Microsoft has once again allegedly injected pop-ups into the Google Chrome browser asking users to switch to Bing. As reported by The Verge, Microsoft first introduced malware-like ads last year, showing the prompt above other ads and pop-ups.

These pop-ups advertise the tech company’s Bing search engine and AI-powered chatbot. Following widespread criticism of Bing’s aggressive promotion, Microsoft suspended said ads to address “intentional activity”. However, pop-ups are back again in Windows 10 and 11.

Several Windows users have reported a pop-up advertising Bing AI and its search engine appearing in Google’s Chrome browser. The announcement boldly states, “Chat with GPT-4 for free on Chrome! Get hundreds of daily chats powered by Bing AI.

By selecting yes in the promoted notification, Microsoft will set Bing as the default search engine in Chrome by downloading its extension. However, the popup itself is less of a problem. What really caused paranoia among Windows users was the notification’s striking resemblance to malware. This led to several users questioning the legitimacy of the announcement and eventually getting a response from Microsoft.

Caitlin Rouston, Microsoft’s director of communications, has now addressed these pop-ups and stated that they are a one-off. In an official statement to The Verge, Rouston said, “This is a one-time announcement that allows people to set Bing as their default search engine in Chrome.” He went on to talk about how Microsoft values the importance of choice, which is why the announcement can be easily dismissed. “We value giving our customers choice, so there is an option to decline the notification,” Roulston stated.

The current pop-up issue is linked to server-side processes named _BCILauncher.EXE_ or _BingChatInstaller.EXE_. These processes were added to some Windows systems on March 13th, and there is no easy fix for users to prevent this notification from appearing.

Earlier this year, Microsoft also had to provide a fix for an issue where Edge automatically fetched browsing data from Chrome tabs without user permission. The issue was eventually resolved, but the company’s persistence with Bing’s promotion tactics has left many users with a bad taste.

Microsoft is currently in strong competition in artificial intelligence-based development thanks to the OpenAI collaboration. This has also allowed the software giants to test the latest versions of ChatGPT before the competition. In a recent podcast, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella referred to OpenAI as “one of the most ambitious technology innovation companies.”