© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Smartphone is seen in entrance of Microsoft brand displayed on this illustration taken, July 26, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photograph

(Reuters) -Microsoft Corp has threatened to chop off entry to its internet-search information, which it licenses to rival search engines like google, if they don’t cease utilizing it as the premise for their very own synthetic intelligence chat merchandise, Bloomberg Information reported on Friday.

The corporate has advised a minimum of two clients that utilizing its Bing search index – a map of the web that may be scanned in actual time – to feed their AI chat instruments violates the phrases of their contract, the information company mentioned, citing folks acquainted with the dispute.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft (NASDAQ:) may terminate licenses offering entry to its search index, Bloomberg added.

Microsoft didn’t instantly reply to a request for a remark.

The maker of the Home windows working system had mentioned in February it was revamping its Bing search engine and Edge Internet browser with synthetic intelligence, signaling its ambition to retake the lead in shopper expertise markets the place it has fallen behind.

The upgraded Bing search engine was rolled out to customers late final month.