Janice R. Andrews
Meta has embarked on developing a proprietary search engine for its AI chatbot, seeking to reduce reliance on tech rivals Google and Microsoft. This initiative comes in the wake of a substantial $10 billion advertising revenue decline triggered by Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) privacy measures. The eight-month-old project, spearheaded by Senior Engineering Manager Xueyuan Su, focuses on web indexing capabilities that will be integrated into Meta AI.
Initially, Meta maintained ambiguity about the search engine’s intended use, describing it broadly as a tool for “training AI models or improving products.” However, their strategy became more apparent with this week’s Reuters partnership announcement, aimed at enhancing their AI’s news response accuracy. This collaboration suggests Meta’s broader ambition to create a self-sufficient AI ecosystem independent of existing search giants.
Under Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership, the company appears to be prioritizing technological independence. This search engine development serves as both a safeguard against potential access restrictions from Google or Microsoft and a stepping stone toward creating a fully autonomous AI system.
The company’s AI investments are showing promising results, with Meta AI attracting over 185 million weekly active users as of August. With planned expansions into the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the European Union, this search engine initiative could represent a pivotal development in Meta’s evolution and its position in the technology sector.
