Ask.com, a search engine and question-and-answer service formerly known as Ask Jeeves, has shut down.
Ask Jeeves was first launched in 1996 and focuses on answering conversational questions posed in natural language, and can be considered a precursor to today’s AI-based chatbots. But for most of its 30-year history, it was overshadowed by other search products, most notably Google.
Holding company IAC acquired Ask Jeeves in 2005, quickly dropped “Jeeves” from its name, and scaled back its search product in 2010 to refocus on Q&A. That same year, IAC Chairman Barry Diller said at TechCrunch Disrupt that Ask.com was not competitive with Google and had no value in IAC stock.
The Ask.com website now says, “As IAC continues to focus, we have decided to wind down our search business, including Ask.com. After 25 years of answering questions from around the world, Ask.com will officially close on May 1, 2026.”
Despite this, the website claims, “Jeeves’ spirit endures.”
