Ask.com, the search engine formerly known for its butler mascot Jeeves, has officially shut down. While Ask Jeeves was rebranded to Ask.com by its new owner, InteractiveCorp, in 2006, this latest closure eliminates the company’s entire search business.
“As IAC continues to expand its focus, we have decided to close down our search business, which includes Ask.com,” the statement on the website said. “After 25 years of answering the world’s questions, Ask.com officially shuts down on May 1, 2026.”
The statement ended by thanking its millions of users and saying, “The spirit of Jeeves lives on.” As sad as it is to see a relic of the early Internet days sink into obscurity, we still have Ask Jeeves to thank for why some users still ask a whole host of questions when querying Google. Additionally, Jeeves was created to provide detailed answers in natural language, which could arguably serve as a precursor to today’s AI chatbots like ChatGPT.
Now, Ask.com joins the Internet graveyard that includes competitors like AltaVista, which shut down in 2013. With Ask.com gone, AIM and AOL dial-up services also ending, we are truly coming to the end of a specific era of the Internet.
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