Microsoft Edge is losing to Safari, despite its push for AI

Many desktop browsers continue to compete for users, and in April 2023, Apple Safari overtook Microsoft Edge in global market share, according to data collected by StatCounter.

Though the browsers’ market share was still neck-and-neck, Safari’s April figures come in at 11.89%, while Edge closed the month at 10.95%. Even so, both browsers continue to lag behind Google Chrome, which maintains its number one spot with in excess of 60%, as pointed out by MSpoweruser.

The figures are especially interesting considering Microsoft’s massive investment in artificial intelligence in recent months. The brand’s multibillion dollar partnership with OpenAI has allowed it to inundate its Edge browser and Bing search with the ChatGPT chatbot, in an effort to attract more users. However, it appears there is still work to do on Microsoft’s front.

The AI-updated Edge browser and Bing search might have sparked interest in users upon release, however, the recent figures could come down to the number of devices in circulation.

Notably, in May 2022, Atlas VPNshared a study detailing that Apple’s Safari browser was serving over 1 billion people across all device forms, including iPhones and Mac computers. In comparison, Microsoft Edge served approximately 212,695,000 users. While Microsoft Edge is compatible with rival devices and systems, the brand might not have as big a reach given that it relies primarily on desktops.

Microsoft currently does not make its own smartphones en masse, outside of novelty devices such as the Surface Duo. Meanwhile, Apple also features its Safari browser on iPhones of all generations. Google partners with multiple smartphone brands globally that use its Chrome browser, in addition to using the app on its own Pixel devices.

Microsoft continues to add features to the browser to encourage users to favor Edge and Bing over other browsers and search engines. One Reddit user pointed out that if you search “Google,” Bing will give you reasons why Bing is preferable. Another Reddit user found a feature that pulls up a split-screen with Bing chat results when users attempt to use Google Bard on Microsoft Edge.

Apple has made similar moves, such as placing an age restriction of 17 and older on AI-inundated apps, such as Microsoft Edge and the email app BlueMail, which includes ChatGPT features, on the Apple App Store. Meanwhile, they have no age restriction on the Google Play Store.

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Fionna Agomuoh is a technology journalist with over a decade of experience writing about various consumer electronics topics…