Ask.com, a pioneer in the internet search industry, has officially closed its search business as of May 1, 2026, after nearly 30 years of operation. Founded in 1996 and initially branded as Ask Jeeves, the platform was known for its unique question-based search format. Over the years, Ask.com struggled to compete with larger search engines, leading to a strategic shift by its parent company, IAC, which announced the closure as part of a broader move away from legacy search operations. The shutdown highlights ongoing consolidation trends in the search market, where smaller platforms find it increasingly difficult to compete. IAC acquired Ask.com in 2005 and rebranded it in 2006, but by 2010, the company had stopped developing its own search technology and shifted focus to a question-and-answer format. The message from IAC thanked users and employees, noting that