Technology

Meta's New AI-Powered Search Engine Initiative

Published October 29, 2024

Meta is taking a bold step into the search engine landscape, becoming the latest competitor to challenge Google’s long-standing dominance. Reports indicate that the company is working on developing its own AI-powered search engine.

As cited by Reuters, Meta aims to reduce its dependence on search engines like Google and Microsoft Bing. This new search engine will utilize artificial intelligence to generate conversational answers for users. The goal is to integrate this feature into popular apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. Currently, Meta relies on these competitors' search services to answer queries made by its users.

Rising Competition in Search Engines

Meta is not the only tech giant looking to innovate in the search engine arena. OpenAI is developing a search engine named SearchGPT, which utilizes its ChatGPT AI model. Yahoo, after years of relying on Microsoft Bing, has also hinted at a comeback in the search engine space. Other notable players include Brave, which has launched its own independent search engine alongside the Brave web browser, and DuckDuckGo, which has established itself as a privacy-focused alternative for users.

Google's Current Vulnerability

Once seen as the invincible leader of online search, Google still holds the top position but is experiencing notable vulnerabilities that were previously unthinkable. Notably, the company recently lost an antitrust case, where a court labeled it a monopolist for maintaining its dominant market share.

In light of this ruling, there are discussions about potential remedies, including the possibility of breaking up Google. This presents a unique opportunity for emerging companies, especially those that leverage AI, to create alternatives that could redefine how users access information.

Meta clearly recognizes this moment as an opportunity and is making significant moves to establish itself in the search market.

Meta, AI, search