With search engines representing a multibillion-dollar market, Google Search alone generated an estimated $175 billion last year, according to Statista, Meta appears poised to enter the fray with an AI-powered search engine of its own. If successful, this development could make Meta a key competitor in the search industry, potentially loosening the grip of established giants like Google and Bing.
Although details on Meta’s search engine are still emerging, it is expected to feature AI capabilities similar to other advanced search tools, such as Perplexity AI. Unlike traditional search engines that rely on straightforward keyword matching, Perplexity gathers information from diverse news sources, responds in a conversational format, and allows for follow-up questions. This interactive approach offers a more dynamic and engaging experience, shifting away from conventional search methods. Meta’s platform is likely to follow a similar model but could leverage a major advantage: its already vast user base on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, which would provide immediate, seamless access to the search engine for millions.
While Meta has yet to officially confirm its search engine plans, recent reports from The Information hint at the company’s intentions. Evidence from AI-tracking firms like Originality AI and Dark Faces, which identified Meta-specific AI crawlers labelled “Meta-External Agent” and “Meta-ExternalFetcher,” suggests that the company has been gathering publicly available data from across the web. These crawlers, first spotted in July, reportedly play a critical role in training Meta’s AI by indexing information for future search queries.
Meta’s acknowledgment of these efforts, in statements to Extreme Tech, underscores the company’s long-standing practice of collecting publicly accessible data to enhance its AI capabilities. If its search engine moves forward as anticipated, Meta could disrupt the search landscape, potentially drawing users away from Google and positioning itself as a formidable competitor.
However, Meta is not alone in challenging Google’s dominance. Apple, for instance, is reportedly exploring the development of its own search engine, which could eventually replace Google as the default search tool on iPhones. Meanwhile, OpenAI is also developing a unique AI-powered search engine, signalling an intensifying race to innovate and diversify the search experience.
As more companies distance themselves from Google or develop their own search services, competition and innovation in the industry could intensify. If Meta’s search engine launches successfully, it will be a test of whether Google can maintain its overwhelming 90% market share, as reported by Statcounter, or if it will start ceding ground to emerging contenders like Meta and others.
The coming shifts in the search engine landscape will likely transform how people access information online, making it a space to watch closely in the near future.
Main Image: First and Geek
