Ask Jeeves successor Ask.com officially closes after nearly 30 years

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After almost 30 years on the internet, Ask.com has permanently closed down, bringing an end to one of the first search engines ever created.

The platform announced it will shut down on May 1, 2026, with a message posted on its website. According to the notice, its parent company, InterActiveCorp, decided to stop offering search services to concentrate on other areas.

Ask.com has officially shut down after many years of helping people find information online, as confirmed by a final message stating, “Every great search must come to an end.”

Ask.com confirms shutdown with message to users

The website’s farewell message also acknowledges the platform’s history, expressing gratitude to the millions of people who used it for information and the teams who created and maintained it over time.

The statement opened with, “To the millions who asked…” and announced that after 25 years of helping people find answers, Ask.com would be shutting down on May 1, 2026.

The message concludes with a nod to its original branding, stating: “Jeeves’ spirit endures.”

Ask.com started in 1996 as Ask Jeeves, created by Garrett Gruener and David Warthen. What made it unique was letting people search by asking complete questions, rather than just using keywords. In 2006, the company changed its name and tried to become a bigger competitor to search engines like Google.

The platform was initially a pioneer in search technology that focused on answering questions. However, over time, it stopped developing its own search engine and instead concentrated on providing content.

Ask.com is the newest well-known website to close its doors, following a trend of online platforms shutting down. Just last year, in 2023, Omegle unexpectedly closed after being online for 14 years.

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2026-05-04 18:18