Ask.com Announces Closure, Ending a 30-Year History of a Former Search Pioneer
The search engine and question-answering service website Ask.com, formerly known as "AskJeeves," has officially shut down. Launched in 1996, AskJeeves was considered a pioneer of today's AI chatbots due to its focus on answering conversational questions in natural language. However, throughout its nearly 30-year history, the service remained overshadowed by other search products, particularly Google.
Holding company IAC acquired Ask Jeeves in 2005 and quickly removed "Jeeves" from the name. By 2010, IAC had scaled back its search product and refocused on the question-answering business. That same year, IAC Chairman Barry Diller stated at TechCrunch Disrupt that Ask.com could not compete with Google and had no value in IAC's stock valuation.
Currently, the information displayed on the Ask.com website states: "As IAC continues to focus on its core businesses, we have decided to discontinue our search business, including Ask.com. After 25 years of answering questions for users worldwide, Ask.com officially closed on May 1, 2026." Nevertheless, the website still asserts: "The spirit of Jeeves will live on."