Ask.com, the search engine previously known for its butler mascot named Jeeves, has officially shut down. While Ask Jeeves was rebranded to Ask.com in 2006 by its new owner at the time, InterActiveCorp, this latest closure puts an end to the entirety of the company’s search business.
“As IAC continues to sharpen its focus, we have made the decision to discontinue our search business, which includes Ask.com,” the statement on the website reads. “After 25 years of answering the world’s questions, Ask.com officially closed on May 1, 2026.”
The statement ended by thanking its millions of users, and saying, “Jeeves’ spirit endures.” As sad as it is to see a relic of the early Internet days fade into obscurity, we still have Ask Jeeves to thank for why some users still punch in full questions when querying Google. On top of that, Jeeves was built to provide detailed answers in natural language, which could have arguably acted as a precursor to today’s AI chatbots like ChatGPT.
Now, Ask.com joins the Internet graveyard that includes competitors like AltaVista, which shut down in 2013. With Ask.com gone, alongside AIM and AOL dial-up services also sunsetting, we’re truly coming to an end of a specific era of the Internet.
