Ask Jeeves shuts down after 25 years as AI answers take over

Published on 3 May 2026

A 1996 conversational search engine is going offline for good

Ask Jeeves has officially shut down after 25 years, ending its run as a conversational search engine launched in 1996. The move, driven by parent company IAC, signals how quickly user habits are shifting away from traditional search. Instead, more people are turning to AI-driven direct answers that provide results instantly—cutting out the back-and-forth.

Ask Jeeves ends a 25-year era of conversational search
Shutdown follows strategic changes at parent company IAC
Internet use is moving from search to AI direct answers
User behavior is increasingly shaped by instant responses

#technology #internet #ai #ask jeeves #search engines

Read the full story at The Economic Times

This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on The Economic Times

Ask Jeeves shuts down after 25 years as AI answers take over

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