Meta Platforms is actively developing its own AI-powered search engine to lessen its reliance on Google and Microsoft’s Bing, as reported by The Information. Currently, Meta relies on these search engines to deliver information about news, stocks, and sports across its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
The upcoming AI-driven search tool will be integrated into Meta’s chatbot, Meta AI, accessible to users on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. Backed by a web-crawling system that Meta has been refining for several months, this new tool aims to provide real-time answers about current events.
This initiative aligns with a broader trend in the AI search landscape, where competitors are also enhancing their offerings. Google, for instance, is integrating its advanced Gemini AI model across its core products to improve conversational search capabilities. Meanwhile, OpenAI is reportedly developing its own AI search platform, SearchGPT, which utilizes Bing for web access to address user inquiries.
As tech companies increasingly employ web scraping techniques to train AI models, concerns regarding copyright and fair compensation are on the rise. For instance, Perplexity’s AI search engine is currently facing lawsuits from News Corp, with potential litigation from The New York Times also looming.
In a related development, Meta has announced that its AI chatbot will leverage content from Reuters to provide users with real-time answers about news and current events. This move underscores Meta’s commitment to enhancing user experience while navigating the evolving landscape of AI and search technologies.
