Ask.com shuts down after 30 years
Ask.com, originally launched as Ask Jeeves in 1997, officially shut down on May 1, 2026, after 25 years of operation. The closure was announced by parent company IAC as part of a strategic refocusing amid the rise of AI-powered search engines. Once a pioneer in natural language search and internet culture, Ask.com's discontinuation marks the end of an early web era.
- ▪Ask.com was founded in 1997 by Garrett Gruener and David Warthen as Ask Jeeves.
- ▪The site rebranded to Ask.com in 2006, dropping the 'Jeeves' name and its butler mascot.
- ▪IAC, the parent company, decided to discontinue the search business as of May 1, 2026.
- ▪Ask.com was named the official search engine of NASCAR in 2009.
- ▪The shutdown reflects broader industry shifts toward generative AI and AI-driven search technologies.
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Home > Life > Digital Culture Ask.com shuts down after 30 years Goodbye, Jeeves. By Chase DiBenedetto Chase DiBenedetto Social Good Reporter Chase joined Mashable's Social Good team in 2020, covering online stories about digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation. Her work also captures how these conversations manifest in politics, popular culture, and fandom. Sometimes she's very funny. Read Full Bio on May 2, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Flipboard The end of an era. Credit: Mashable screenshot / Ask.com Ask.com, originally founded as the Y2K stalwart Ask Jeeves, is officially dead. "As IAC continues to sharpen its focus, we have made the decision to discontinue our search business, which includes Ask.com.
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