May 03, 2026 16:25:00

Search service Ask.com shuts down, ending its 29-year history since Ask Jeeves.

Ask.com (Ask Jeeves), a pioneering search service founded in 1996, ceased operations on May 1, 2026, following its parent company, IAC Inc.'s, withdrawal from the search business. The service once boasted 100 million monthly users and even sponsored NASCAR, but its presence had waned in recent years, leading some to express surprise that it hadn't been shut down.

A Farewell to Ask.com | 25 Years of Curiosity

https://www.ask.com/

No more Jeeves: Ask.com officially shuttered | Mashable

https://mashable.com/article/ask-jeeves-shut-down

Farewell, Jeeves: Ask.com shuts down | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/02/farewell-jeeves-ask-com-shuts-down/

Ask Jeeves just shut down after 29 years, and nobody noticed
https://www.xda-developers.com/ask-jeeves-just-shut-down-after-29-years-and-nobody-noticed/

The Long Sad Story of Ask.com, 'Ask Jeeves' | DigitalNext - Ad Age
https://web.archive.org/web/20190115082326/https://adage.com/article/digitalnext/long-sad-story-jeeves/147091/

Ask.com was founded in June 1996 as 'Ask Jeeves (AskJeeves.com)'. A beta version was launched in April 1997, and the service officially began in June 1997. The name 'Jeeves' is derived from the capable butler character Jeeves in P.G. Wodehouse's novels, and the company used a butler-like character as its mascot.

Amazon.co.jp: Jeeves' Case Files: A Tale of Ingenuity (Bunshun Bunko U 22-1): PG Wodehouse, Masakatsu, Taichi Iwanaga, Koyama: Book

AskJeeves, which supported both traditional keyword searches and natural language searches and appeared a year before Google, was a reliable search engine for internet users at the time.

Ask Jeeves was acquired by the holding company IAC in 2005 and renamed Ask.com in 2006. At this time, its image was completely revamped, and the butler character was removed. In 2009, it became known as the 'official search engine' as a sponsor of NASCAR.

However, it subsequently faded into the shadows of Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and others, and eventually ceased operations.

The following message has been posted on the site regarding the termination of the service:

'Even the most brilliant search will eventually come to an end.'
As part of its business consolidation strategy, IAC has decided to discontinue its search business, including Ask.com.
Ask.com, which had been answering questions from people all over the world for 25 years, officially ceased operations on May 1, 2026.

'To the millions of people who asked questions...'
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the talented engineers, designers, and team members who have shaped and supported 'Ask' over the decades.
And to the millions of users who have turned to us in search of answers in this rapidly changing world, we express our deepest gratitude for your boundless curiosity, unwavering support, and trust.
Jeeves' spirit will live on.

It should be noted that Ask.com used to bundle toolbars with

Java and other applications, so some long-time internet users may have found the Ask toolbar installed without their knowledge. This Ask toolbar was designated as malware by Microsoft following a change in their standards in 2015.

Microsoft classifies 'Ask Toolbar' bundled with Java as malware - GIGAZINE