Ask.com shuts down its search business after nearly 30 years amid market consolidation.

Ask.com, one of the earliest internet search engines, officially closed its search business on May 1, 2026, after nearly 30 years. Owned by IAC, the shutdown reflects a strategic shift away from legacy search operations as the market consolidates around a few major players. Ask.com, originally launched as Ask Jeeves in 1997, stopped developing its own search technology around 2010 and later focused on a question-and-answer format. Its closure marks the end of an early web search brand and highlights the challenges smaller platforms face in competing with dominant tech companies.