Meta Platforms is working on an artificial intelligence-based search engine as it looks to reduce dependance on Alphabet’s Google and Microsoft’s Bing, the Information reported on Monday, Reuters reported.
The AI search engine segment is heating up with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, Google and Microsoft all vying for dominance in the rapidly evolving market.
Meta’s web crawler will provide conversational answers to users about current events on Meta AI, the company’s chatbot on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, according to the report, which cited a person involved with the strategy.
The Facebook-owner currently relies on Google and Bing search engines to give users answers on news, stocks and sports.
Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request from comment.
Google is aggressively integrating its latest and most powerful AI model, Gemini, into core products like Search, aiming to deliver more conversational and intuitive search experiences.
Open AI relies on its largest investor, Microsoft, for web access to answer topical queries, using its Bing search engine.
Engadget reported: Stung from the hit it took from an Apple privacy feature three years ago, Meta is reportedly looking to decrease its dependence on Google and Microsoft. The Information said on Monday that Meta is developing a search engine for its chatbot. The company also partnered with Reuters to help its AI answer news-related questions.
Meta has reportedly been working on indexing the web for at least eight months. The company’s goal is said to be to integrate the indexes into Meta AI, giving the chatbot an alternative to Google Search and Microsoft Bing.
Meta publicly disclosed its web crawler tech this summer, only saying it was for “training AI models or improving products” without stating outright that it was building a search backend. Senior engineering manager Xueyuan Su is reportedly leading the search engine project.
Tom’s Guide reported: In an effort to stay competitive in AI development, Meta is reportedly creating its own search engine. The move, reported by The Information, is intended to reduce dependence on Google and Microsoft Bing, which currently feed Meta AI with news, sports and stocks. According to a Meta insider, this initiative could serve as a backup in case the partnerships with the tech giants shift.
Led by senior engineering manager Xueyuan Su, over the last year, Meta has been quietly advancing its web-crawling and indexing technologies by gathering web data into searchable indexes. The ultimate aim is for Meta AI to deliver live, conversational answers, enabling the platform to address user questions without reliance on any outside search platform.
In my opinion, it is good that Meta is trying to shed its reliance on Google and Microsoft Bing for research. That said, I am hoping that Meta does not choose to scrape data from its users.