Ask.com, originally launched as Ask Jeeves in 1996, has officially shut down after a 25-year run, marking the end of one of the earliest attempts to create a conversational search experience. Its parent company, InterActiveCorp (IAC), announced the closure effective May 1, 2026, as part of a strategic shift away from search. IAC acknowledged the contributions of its teams and thanked users for their trust. Initially known for its unique question-and-answer functionality, Ask.com struggled to compete with larger rivals like Google, which now holds nearly 90% of the search market. The shift in internet usage patterns is evident, with AI assistants increasingly providing direct answers, leading to declining traffic for traditional search engines. A report by Chartbeat indicated that Google Search pageviews dropped 34% between December 2024 and December 2025. As bots accounted for over 53% of web activity in 2025, the closure of Ask.com reflects a broader transition in how users access information online.