In this paper, we generalize the concept of interval‐valued bipolar fuzzy sets (IVBFSs) and define interval‐valued bipolar fuzzy subsemigroups (IVBF‐subsemigroup) and interval‐valued bipolar fuzzy left (right, two‐sided) ideals (IVBF‐left [right, two‐sided] ideals) over semigroups, which is a generalization of the concept of an bipolar valued fuzzy set (BVFS) in a semigroup. The purpose of this paper is to deal with the algebraic structure of semigroups by applying IVBFS theory. We give characterizations of different classes of (intra‐regular, left [right] regular, regular, semisimple) semigroups by the properties of their IVBF‐ideals. We also characterize these classes in terms of IVBF‐left ideals, IVBF‐right ideals, and IVBF‐two‐sided ideals. In this respect, we prove that a semigroup is regular if and only if for every IVBF‐right ideal
true
A
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true
μ
A
P
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,
true
μ
A
N
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and every IVBF‐left ideal
true
B
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)(
true
μ
B
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,
true
μ
B
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over
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, we have
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true
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true
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. Further, we characterize intra‐regular and regular semigroups and prove that a semigroup is intra‐regular and regular if and only if for every IVBF‐left ideal
true
A
˜
=
)(
true
μ
A
P
˜
,
true
μ
A
N
˜
and every IVBF‐right ideal
true
B
˜
=
)(
true
μ
B
P
˜
,
true
μ
B
N
˜
over
S
we have
true
A
˜
∩
true
B
˜
0.25em
≼
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true
A
˜
⊙
true
B
˜
.