Microsoft is pushing users to switch to Bing but has reportedly resorted to injecting pop-up ads into Google Chrome browsers on Windows operating systems. 

According to The Verge, these ads, reminiscent of malware, have reappeared after a previous pause due to "unintended behavior." The ads promoting Bing AI and Microsoft's Bing search engine have sparked concerns among Windows users who question their legitimacy.

Now, Microsoft confirmed the truth about injecting pop-up ads but clarified that they are intended as one-time notifications, providing users with the option to set Bing as their default search engine on Chrome. 

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In a statement to The Verge, Caitlin Roulston, director of communications at Microsoft, framed these pop-ups as offering benefits to Windows users, such as increased chat turns in Copilot. 

However, many users find these pop-ups intrusive and disruptive to their browsing experience.

The recurrence of these pop-ups raises questions about Microsoft's commitment to user choice. While the company claims to value providing customers with options, the lack of a straightforward method to disable these pop-ups permanently suggests otherwise. 

Earlier this year, The Verge also reported how Microsoft faced criticism for a separate incident involving automatically importing browsing data and tabs from Chrome to Edge without user consent.

For now, users are hopeful that Microsoft will listen to their concerns and allow them to choose their preferred search engine and browser without interference freely. 

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