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Sorry, Jeeves: Ask.com shuts down search after nearly 30 years
IAC said it is discontinuing the search business as generative AI-powered search and agents reshape web browsing, ending a service launched in 1996.
- On Friday, May 1, 2026, Ask.com officially ended its search operations after 25 years of service, with the website now redirecting users to a farewell message thanking everyone who built and used the platform.
- Parent company InterActivCorp decided to discontinue its search business as the holding company continues to sharpen its focus on core operations, effectively shutting down the longtime Ask.com website.
- Founded in 1997 by Garrett Gruener and David Warthen as Ask Jeeves, the service encouraged users to frame queries as natural language questions, serving as an early precursor to modern AI-powered chatbots.
- The website's farewell message thanks users for their "endless curiosity, your loyalty, and your trust," while the company maintains that "Jeeves' spirit endures" in reference to its iconic butler mascot.
- Ask.com's closure marks the end of the early dot-com era as the industry shifts toward generative AI-powered search engines, capping a history where the service was largely overshadowed by Google.
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Times of IndiaReposted by 
The Economic Times
The Economic TimesThe end of Ask.com, and the shifting sands of internet use
After a 25-year run, Ask Jeeves has officially shut down as part of a strategic shift by parent company IAC. Launched in 1996 as a conversational search engine, the platform's closure reflects a broader transition in internet usage away from traditional search towards AI-driven direct answers.
·India
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Total News Sources32
Leaning Left4Leaning Right4Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution34% Left, 33% Center, 33% Right
Bias Distribution
- 34% of the sources lean Left, 33% of the sources are Center, 33% of the sources lean Right
34% Left
L 34%
C 33%
R 33%
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