Bing strikes licensing deal with Wolfram Alpha

Bing will start using Wolfram Alpha's data in search results following a licensing deal.

(Credit: Screenshot by Tom Krazit/CNET)

Microsoft's Bing search engine is getting a little help from a very smart friend.

Wolfram Alpha and Bing have reached a licensing deal that allows Bing to present some of the specialized scientific and computational content that Wolfram Alpha generates, according to a source familiar with the deal. The deal was reported earlier by TechCrunch.

Representatives from Microsoft and Wolfram Research declined to comment on the deal.

Wolfram Alpha's unique blend of computational input and curated output hasn't taken the world by storm, but it is considered an interesting enough take on the business of Internet search to attract high-profile attention within the industry. Wolfram Alpha doesn't return the usual list of links to pages with search keywords, instead providing answers to questions such as stock prices and complex mathematical formulas--with mixed results.

Bing, on the other hand, is enjoying a solid start in the three months since it made its debut as it gains users and will at some point be the default search experience on Yahoo's highly trafficked pages following a long-awaited deal. It's not clear whether Bing results will carry Wolfram's branding (i.e., results "Powered By Wolfram Alpha"), but there will be some sort of presence.

It's unlikely that Bing is going to turn over the bulk of its results to Alpha, however. In a blog post Friday, Wolfram founder Stephen Wolfram admitted that linguistic problems are to blame for half of the occasions when Wolfram Alpha doesn't return a result. That percentage is changing as Wolfram refines the science behind Wolfram Alpha, but it will take some time.

Corrected at 3:30 p.m. PDT to clarify that half the time Wolfram Alpha doesn't understand an input query, it's due to linguistic problems. An earlier version suggested that Wolfram Alpha didn't understand queries half the time.

[monkeyfun14]

This will definitely give them a step up over Google.

[Random_Walk]

If they actually put it to good use, I would agree. Until then, I can wait to see what they do with it.

If they just park a portal in there, then nah - it'll be useless (most of academia already goes straight to the source now). OTOH, if they use it to actually make a real "decision engine" (not just a fancy search mask), then they could actually gain some ground with it...

[Magallanes]

IMHO :Wolfram Alpha is just a speculative bluff, not just for the average joe, also for academic purpose.

[Pointedly]

By its very nature, Wolfram Alpha is currently a pea-sized snowball, but it is a snowball that will grow perpetually. Kudos to Microsoft for getting involved.

[Dave_man1123]

This is largely a publicity stunt. Much like Google Wave was. Nothing major will ever come of this. Actually, I take that back. Google and Microsoft are clearly drawing up some battle lines. I don't really think Wolfram Alpha will bring anything significant to Bing, but the innovation that will occur in the years to come as a result of this Microsoft-Google war is very exciting.

[monkeyfun14]

Wolfram Alpha calculations within Bing sound very useful to me O-o

[paulej]

Agree with monkeyfun14. Bing is missing all of the cool math tricks Google has. But, if I could throw quadratic equations or perhaps integrals into the Bing search box and actually get something meaningful back (including a graph), that would be awesome.

[Random_Walk]

Microsoft does have a habit of announcing some fantabulous vaporware, mostly to steal oxygen from existing or upcoming real products. They even shell out quite a bit of money to do it.

It's a neat idea, but until they implement it, this is just plain marketing IMHO.

[markosph]

I'm with monkeyfun14 on this one. I switched from Google to Bing for most of my searches. I like it and this will only add to it.

[tm_anon]

@markosph

I know someone who liked Bing for about a month. That was 3 months ago. She's back on Google.

Her reason? It searched weird.

[redmarine]

Hmm, this will indeed be interesting. Hopefully Microsoft will take more market shares.

[t8]

Google already has a similar offering called Google Squared.
I think it is similar.
http://www.google.com/squared

[paulej]

I don't think that's similar at all. See this: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=int%282x+dx%29

I've not seen anything from google like that. Google can do conversions if you know what to ask for:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=3GB+%3D+%3F+MB

But, W.A. can do this: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=3+GB+to+MB

This is really different and more informative.

[YankeePoodle]

folks, we should a google economist about this deal, i am hoping he would say smart move.

[shmariam]

Over time the search engine default for the scientific community will be Wolfram Alpha. And that will filter to the students. I think Bing have a scored a big scoop with this deal. Its a winner.

[Random_Walk]

So why bother with the middleman if you can go straight to the source?

I doubt W.A. is going to give away the store, no?

[monkeyfun14]

@Random_Walk

I'm sure W.A will get a hefty source of revenue from this.

[Random_Walk]

They could, but would it be worth limiting one's own growth and potential to do it?

[Dalkorian]

I have to disagree with you there shmariam, Wolfram won't ever become anyone's default search engine because it's NOT a search engine to begin with. It's a computational engine, it's difficult to explain the difference yet easy to see once you try it out (worth trying out though, just keep in mind it's new and won't be perfect - notice the "Alpha" in it's title?).

As for the filthy diseased prostitute formerly known as MSN Search, I have far to much self respect to step foot into that heroin den. M$ can poison and stack their search results until the cows come home, but those of us with a brain recognize all that lipstick as nothing more than a covering for a disgusting pig that was rejected by virtually everyone nearly a decade ago.

[pentest]

Bing is for Sally Homemaker and Joe Sixpack. Wolfram is not.

Bing is not a tool for academics and researchers.

Mixing them will lead to yawning from all corners.

[t8]

Good comment.

[queticomn]

I could see how this could become a very useful in the classroom and our for students. Has alot of potential. I understand the coin-edge "decision engine" now.

[David Turner]

I hope for Microsoft's sake that it's an exclusive licensing deal... I hope for everyone else that it isn't :-)

[PulSamsara]

bing... lol