Ask.com, the service formerly known as Ask Jeeves, shuts down after nearly three decades of operation, multiple outlets report. The New York Times says the platform closes on May 1. TechCrunch and TechRadar describe the shutdown as the end of one of the early public-facing attempts at conversational search, which predates today’s AI chat tools. ABC News similarly reports that the “Ask Jeeves” question-and-service search engine is no longer available.
Launched in 1997, Ask Jeeves is designed to let users ask questions in plain language rather than using keyword-only queries. Several reports note that it promoted a “Jeeves” persona and relied on curated and human-reviewed information to generate responses. Over time, the service faces intense competition from larger search providers, particularly Google, which contributed to Ask Jeeves being overshadowed despite its early focus on more natural question answering.
PC Gamer frames the shutdown as the closing of a chapter in early web search history, while emphasizing the lasting influence of the “Jeeves” concept. Across coverage, the main points are the May 1 shutdown date and the role Ask Jeeves played in early conversational search.
