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Meta Looks to Challenge Google and Bing with In-house AI Search Engine

October 29, 2024

Meta looks to challenge Google and Bing with in-house AI search engine, aiming to reduce its reliance on them for delivering search results to users.

This initiative could signify a major shift for Meta, which relies on Google and Bing for its responses on Meta AI, its chatbot integrated across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The new search engine will provide users with conversational summaries about current events through Meta AI, a feature designed to compete with search offerings by Google and OpenAI.

According to sources cited by The Information, Meta’s web crawlers have been active for months, building an internal database of web content that its AI can access to provide more timely and direct answers for users.

Meta’s push into AI-driven search reflects a broader industry trend where major tech players invest heavily in generative AI and search enhancements.

OpenAI has already launched its search tool, SearchGPT, while Google is working to integrate its Gemini AI model into core search functions, aiming to deliver more conversational experiences.

Apple is also reportedly exploring alternatives to Google search on its devices, which could lead to more diversified search options across the tech landscape.

Partnership with Reuters

Aiming to add credible, real-time information to its responses, Meta recently announced a partnership with Reuters to use its news content in responses to user queries.

This shift could signal a return to news-based content for Meta after the company scaled back on news coverage in recent years.

As the company integrates AI-generated responses across its platforms, it also faces challenges surrounding data scraping and compensation for content creators, a legal gray area for many AI firms using web data to train and support their models.

Meta’s search engine project follows ongoing controversies over AI companies’ use of web content without adequate compensation. Companies like OpenAI and Perplexity AI face legal action from news publishers over copyright issues related to AI models scraping and repurposing news data without authorisation.

Meta’s ambitions align with its broader mission of fostering a more self-sufficient digital ecosystem that reduces dependency on external partners.

This move is seen as a pivotal step in the company’s commitment to diversifying its revenue sources and gaining a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded AI search market.

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