Meta develops its own AI-based search engine

- Meta develops its own AI-based search engine to reduce dependence on Google and Bing - Expanding into the news content sector through a partnership with Reuters [Unblock Media] Meta Platforms is developing its own AI-based search engine to reduce reliance on Google and Microsoft's Bing. Meta plans to secure more advertising revenue through the new search engine. Instead of relying on advertising through Google and Bing, Meta intends to insert ads directly into its own search engine and maximize profits. The new AI-based search engine will provide users with interactive AI-generated summaries of recent information and current events. This will be delivered through Meta's AI chatbot, which is scheduled to be integrated with Meta's social media apps such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Currently, Meta's AI chatbot uses Google and Bing search engines to answer user queries. However, to develop the new search engine, Meta has assembled a dedicated team of engineers. This team has been building a relevant information database for the past eight months. Meta's move to develop a search engine is similar to the actions of other major AI companies such as Sam Altman's OpenAI. OpenAI unveiled a search engine prototype called "SearchGPT" in July and announced plans to integrate this feature into their chatbot. Additionally, recent reports indicate that Apple has also shown moves to replace parts of Google's search functionality with its own AI tools. Unlike SearchGPT from OpenAI and Apple's search engine, Meta's AI search engine differentiates itself through close integration with social media platforms. This approach aims to deliver more personalized information and increase user dependence on its platforms. Recently, on October 25, Meta announced a multi-year partnership with Reuters, a news agency, to integrate news content with AI-based chatbot functions. This marks Meta's first venture into news content in several years, contrasting with its recent trend of deemphasizing news and political content. Since 2020, Meta has made efforts to move away from news-centric features, such as shutting down the news tab and reducing emphasis on political news. However, this new AI deal hints at a controlled return to news, targeting users who actively seek news rather than passively receiving it in their feed. This analysis can be seen as Meta's attempt to bolster its platform's search and information delivery capabilities through technological innovation and engineering prowess. The goal is to provide users with a more personalized information experience and reduce dependency on competing services.