Meta is developing an AI search engine to compete with Google and Bing. Meta wants to decrease its reliance on Google and Microsoft Bing, according to recent reports. The company hopes that this project will enhance its AI’s ability to provide real-time information while reducing dependency on competitor platforms.
As reported by The Information, a dedicated team, led by senior engineering manager Xueyuan Su, has been working on the project for approximately eight months. Meta’s web crawlers have been actively collecting and indexing web data, building the foundation for an independent search capability. The company has also secured a multi-year partnership with Reuters, gaining rights to use their news articles in AI-generated responses.
Currently, Meta AI, which reaches 185 million weekly users across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, relies on Google and Microsoft Bing to answer questions about current events, sports, and financial information. This dependence could be costly for Meta, as API requests can accumulate significantly, especially since the company hasn’t monetized its AI chatbots.
As a result, the development of an in-house search engine aligns with Meta’s larger strategy to reduce its vulnerability to external platforms. This initiative comes after previous challenges, such as when Apple’s privacy changes considerably impacted Meta’s advertising revenue streams. According to insiders, the search engine could serve as a backup if partnerships with current search providers change.
Meta’s move also comes at a time of significant activity in AI-powered search. OpenAI has already confirmed the development of SearchGPT, while Perplexity’s AI search engine is facing legal challenges from major publishers, including News Corp. and The New York Times. Meta’s entry into this space at this point in time could certainly impact the competitive landscape.
While specific details about the search engine’s implementation remain under wraps, it may follow a model similar to existing AI search engines, which curate information from multiple sources to present relevant results in an accessible format. The technology is expected to power Meta AI’s conversational responses across its social media platforms.
Meta has not announced a launch timeline for the search engine, and it remains unclear whether the company plans to create a standalone search platform or primarily use the technology to enhance its existing AI chatbot capabilities.
