Farewell, Jeeves: Ask.com shuts down

Ask.com, the search engine and question-and-answer service formerly known as Ask Jeeves, has shut down. Ask Jeeves first launched in 1996. It focused on answering conversational questions posed in natural language. It was arguably a precursor to today's AI-powered chatbots. For most of its 30-year history, however, it has been overshadowed by other search products, especially Google. IAC acquired Ask Jeeves in 2005 and quickly dropped Jeeves from the name. By 2010 the company had scaled back its search product 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 was not valued in IAC's stock. A message on the Ask.com website states that as IAC continues to sharpen its focus, the company has made the decision to discontinue its search business, which includes Ask.com. After 25 years of answering the world's questions, Ask.com officially closed on May 1, 2026. The website insists that Jeeves' spirit endures.