Pioneer AI Chatbot Ask.com Officially Shuts Down After 30 Years

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ask.com search engine service, previously known as Ask Jeeves, has officially ceased operations after 30 years of serving internet users. According to a TechCrunch report on Saturday local time, through an official statement on its website, Ask.com announced the decision to discontinue services as part of the company’s strategy to focus its business. “As IAC sharpens its focus, we have decided to discontinue the search business, including Ask.com. After 25 years of answering the world’s questions, Ask.com will officially close on 1 May 2026,” stated Ask.com. However, throughout its journey, Ask.com has often been overshadowed by other search engines, particularly Google, which dominates the global market. Parent company IAC acquired Ask Jeeves in 2005, then removed the “Jeeves” name and shifted its business focus. In 2010, the search service began to be reduced to prioritise a question-and-answer model. IAC Chairman at the time, Barry Diller, even stated that Ask.com was unable to compete with Google and did not provide significant value to the company’s shares.