Microsoft Corp. may consider sharing its online-advertising revenue with consumers who use its Internet search engine in an attempt to attract more users to Microsoft's search business.

"We'll actually go to users and say instead of us keeping all that ad revenue, we'll actually share some of it back with the user," said Mr. Gates, according to a transcript supplied by Microsoft. "The user essentially will get paid, either money or free content or software things that they wouldn't get if they didn't use that search engine."

Some smal

ler search sites have tried to attract consumers by giving a percentage of ad sales to user-designated charities or giving individuals chances to win cash prizes. GoodSearch Inc., a site that uses Yahoo Inc. search technology, distributes a portion of its ad revenue to charities or schools selected by users each time they search. Iwon, a site run by IAC/InterActiveCorp's Ask Jeeves search unit, enters users in sweepstakes for cash prizes based on their use of the site.

A similar move by Microsoft could potentially prompt Google and Yahoo to respond with offers of its own to consumers.