Meta Platforms is reportedly developing its own AI-powered search engine, aiming to reduce its reliance on Google and Microsoft Bing for delivering search results to users. This move could represent a significant shift for Meta, which currently depends on Google and Bing to provide answers through Meta AI, its chatbot integrated into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The upcoming search engine is expected to provide users with conversational summaries about current events, making it a direct competitor to search services by Google and OpenAI. According to sources from The Information, Meta has been actively using web crawlers for several months to build an internal database of web content. This database will allow Meta’s AI to deliver more timely and accurate answers, crafted from a broader pool of information.
Meta’s focus on AI-driven search highlights a broader industry trend, as major tech companies invest in generative AI and improved search features. OpenAI, for instance, recently launched its SearchGPT tool, while Google is integrating its Gemini AI model into its core search functions to deliver more conversational experiences. Apple is also reportedly exploring alternatives to Google search for its devices, which could result in a more diverse range of search options across the tech landscape.
To ensure its responses are reliable and current, Meta recently announced a partnership with Reuters, allowing it to incorporate news content into its user queries. This shift marks a return to news-based content for Meta, which had scaled back on such coverage in recent years.
However, Meta’s move into AI-driven search also raises questions about data scraping and fair compensation for content creators. Legal concerns have emerged across the industry regarding AI companies using web data to train and enhance their models without sufficient compensation for the original creators. Meta’s project follows legal disputes involving companies like OpenAI and Perplexity AI, which are facing lawsuits from news publishers over copyright issues related to the unapproved use of news data.
Through this new search engine project, Meta aims to become more self-reliant, fostering a digital ecosystem less dependent on external partnerships.
