Microsoft has rolled out a new feature in Bing Webmaster Tools that gives publishers their first native view into how their content performs inside AI-generated answers. The update, called AI Performance, is now available in public preview and marks a significant step toward measuring visibility in AI-powered search experiences.
The feature was announced on February 10 in an official Bing Webmaster Tools update by Microsoft AI Product Managers Krishna Madhavan, Meenaz Merchant, Fabrice Canel, and Saral Nigam.
Since AI search tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are increasingly shaping how users find information, a range of third-party visibility tracking tools has sprung up, as documented by the DMi Agency Blog last week. These tools offers publishers insights into how their content is discovered and cited across generative AI systems.
Unlike third-party AI visibility tools that rely on external scraping or simulated queries, Microsoft’s AI Performance report provides first-party data directly from Bing’s own AI systems.
The dashboard shows how often a website’s content is cited in AI-generated answers across Microsoft Copilot, Bing’s AI summaries, and select partner integrations. Publishers can view total citation counts, identify which specific URLs are referenced, analyze grounding queries used to retrieve their content, and track citation trends over time.
Microsoft says the feature is designed to help site owners understand how their content participates in generative AI responses, extending traditional search performance reporting into the AI layer.
What SEOs Are Saying about Microsoft ‘AI Performance’
Early responses from the SEO community signal both excitement and measured caution.
Aleyda Solis, renowned SEO expert, described AI Performance as the “first official AI search visibility dashboard directly provided by platforms.” She commended features that allow publishers to see how their content is cited in AI-generated answers, while noting areas for improvement.
The tool currently does not offer “intent or sentiment analysis,” “extracts of the answers to check,” or competitor comparison functionality.
“Hopefully more platforms like Google and ChatGPT/OpenAI take note,” she wrote on her X handle.
Search Engine Land noted that while the new reporting makes it possible to see where and how content is cited in AI-generated answers, it does not show how those citations translate into clicks, referral traffic, or measurable business outcomes.
“It’s good to know where and how your content gets cited, but Bing Webmaster Tools still won’t reveal how those citations translate into clicks, traffic, or any real business outcome. Without click data, publishers still can’t tell if AI visibility delivers value.,” the publication wrote.
Commenting on the update, Koray Tuğberk GÜBÜR, CEO of Holistic SEO & Digital, said the new dashboard offers a fresh way to understand SEO’s role in the emerging AI SEO industry. He noted that performance measurement is shifting towards an “estate-based performance” mindset, where semantics and topical authority sit at the center of SEO strategy.
How to Access Microsoft AI Performance Now
Step 1: Verify Your Site in Bing Webmaster Tools
Only verified properties can access AI Performance. If your site isn’t verified, follow Bing’s standard verification process first.
Step 2: Sign In to Bing Webmaster Tools
Go to Bing Webmaster Tools and log in with your Microsoft account.
Step 3: Navigate to AI Performance
Once signed in, look for the AI Performance section in the dashboard menu. This is where citation metrics, grounding queries, and page-level visibility trends are displayed.
Step 4: Explore Metrics
Publishers can view total citations, average cited pages, grounding queries, page-level citation activity, and visibility trends over time.
Step 5: Optimize Your Content
Use insights from the dashboard to identify which pages are cited most frequently, improve content clarity and structure, and track changes in AI visibility over time.
Direct Link (for verified accounts):
https://www.bing.com/webmasters/aiperformance
Looking Ahead
With the launch of Microsoft AI Performance, DMi Agency expects that Google may follow suit by introducing its own native AI visibility tools. This prediction aligns with Google’s past pattern of releasing platform-specific reporting features to support publishers and webmasters. However, to date, Google has not provided an equivalent, first-party reporting tool that shows how often content is cited or reused within AI-generated answers, leaving publishers with limited insight into their visibility across Google’s AI-driven search experiences.
For businesses and publishers looking to win in AI-driven search, DMi Agency offers expert guidance on maximizing content visibility, tracking performance, and optimizing for the next generation of AI search engines. Learn more about how we can help your content stay ahead in AI-powered discovery.
