ASK.COM SHUTS DOWN AS IAC EXITS SEARCH

Ask.com, once a prominent search engine known for its cartoon mascot Jeeves, will cease operations under parent company IAC's decision to wind down the search business. The platform launched in 1996 as Ask Jeeves, offering natural language search capabilities that differentiated it from competitors. The anthropomorphic butler mascot became iconic during the early web era, helping the service build brand recognition in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Over the years, Ask.com gradually lost market share to Google and other search providers. The service shifted focus multiple times, including attempts to compete as a general search engine and later as a vertical search platform. IAC, which acquired Ask.com in 2005, has been consolidating its portfolio in recent years. The decision to shutter the search business reflects the difficulty of competing in a market where Google maintains dominant control. Exact shutdown dates and details regarding user data have not been disclosed.