In a strategic move to reduce its reliance on major competitors like Google and Bing, Meta is reportedly developing its own artificial intelligence-based search engine. This initiative comes as the tech giant aims to establish a foothold in the competitive search engine market, enhancing its ecosystem which includes platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The development was reported on October 28, 2024, by The Information, citing an anonymous source well-acquainted with Meta's operations.

Meta's Search Engine Strategy Unveiled

Meta's new AI-driven search engine will leverage a new web-crawler and is expected to be integrated with Meta AI, the company's chatbot present on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. This integration aims to offer conversational responses to a wide array of queries, from current events to stock market updates and sports results.

Currently, Meta relies heavily on Google and Bing for its search functionalities. By developing its own search engine, Meta aims to gain more autonomy and safeguard its operations in case of any changes in partnership with these tech giants. This move is also seen as a contingency plan should Google or Microsoft decide to alter their collaboration terms with Meta.

Advancements in AI Technology

Earlier in the year, Meta enhanced its capabilities by replacing the Large Language Model (LLM) in its chatbot, Meta AI, with an updated version, Meta Llama 3. This development is perceived as Meta's strategy to challenge the dominance of OpenAI's ChatGPT. Transitioning to a proprietary search engine is a natural progression in Meta’s expansion into AI technologies.

The competitive landscape in the search engine market includes formidable players like Google, which recently integrated its powerful AI model, Gemini, to enhance search interactivity. Meanwhile, OpenAI uses Microsoft’s Bing for web-based query responses, illustrating the complex interdependencies within the industry.

With this ambitious project, Meta is poised to redefine its role in the tech landscape, signaling its intent to become more self-reliant and innovative in the AI sector.

Original Source from Heise Online.