Farewell, Jeeves: Ask.com shuts down

In Brief

Ask.com, the hunt motor and question-and-answer work formerly known arsenic Ask Jeeves, has unopen down.

Ask Jeeves archetypal launched successful 1996 and, with its absorption connected answering conversational questions posed successful earthy language, was arguably a precursor to today’s AI-powered chatbots. For astir of its 30-year history, however, it’s been overshadowed by different hunt products, particularly Google.

Holding institution IAC acquired Ask Jeeves successful 2005, rapidly dropped “Jeeves” from the name, and by 2010 had scaled backmost its hunt product to refocus connected Q&A. That aforesaid year, IAC Chairman Barry Diller said astatine TechCrunch Disrupt that Ask.com was not competitory with Google and was not valued successful IAC’s stock.

A connection connected the Ask.com website presently reads, “As IAC continues to sharpen its focus, we person made the determination to discontinue our hunt business, which includes Ask.com. After 25 years of answering the world’s questions, Ask.com officially closed connected May 1, 2026.”

Nonetheless, the website insists, “Jeeves’ tone endures.”

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