Meta's Bold Move: Ditching Google & Microsoft for Its Own Search Engine
Meta's Bold Move: Ditching Google & Microsoft for Its Own Search Engine
Meta is tired of playing second fiddle to Google and Microsoft. According to a juicy report from he Information the tech giant is secretly working on its own search engine, and it's all about self-reliance. The goal? To cut the cord from Big G (Google) and Bing, and instead, power its AI chatbots with a search engine all its own.
Meta’s New Search Engine: The Quiet Revolution
This move isn't just another headline-grabbing stunt. It's a direct response to the massive financial hit Meta took when pplerolled out its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. Yeah, that one. It cost Meta over $10 billion in ad revenue. Zuckerberg’s not about to let that happen again. So in true Meta fashion, they’re taking matters into their own hands by building a search engine to fuel their AI empire.
How long has this been going on? Well, Meta’s been tinkering with this in secret (of course) for t leasteight months. It's all been hush-hush, but now we know the plan: web indexing to make Meta AI so good that it doesn’t need to rely on Google or Microsoft at all. The project is being spearheaded by Meta’s senior engineering manager, Xueyuan Su.
The Web-Crawling Tech Behind Meta AI
Meta actually revealed part of the puzzle this summer when they introduced their web crawler technology. But back then, they were pretty vague about it. They just said it was for “AI model training and product improvement.” Yeah, sure. Now, with hindsight, it’s clear this was all part of the grander plan to create a standalone search engine.
Image source note: The image was generated by AI, authorized by Midjourney.
Learning From the Pain: Apple’s $10 Billion Punch
Remember when Meta got punched in the wallet by Apple's ATT feature? Yeah, that was a $10 billion gut punch. And Meta’s still feeling the pain from that one. So what’s the answer? Technological autonomy, baby. Meta doesn’t want to be dependent on anyone—especially not Apple, Google, or Microsoft. They want to be the master of their own destiny.
Plus, they’ve teamed up with Reuters to boost their AI’s ability to answer news-related questions. That’s right, Meta’s AI is getting marterby the day.
Meta AI: Numbers That Speak for Themselves
Meta’s AI game is already looking strong. According to Zuckerberg (who dropped some knowledge on Threads), Meta AI has a whopping 185 million weekly active users and a cool 400 million monthly active users. And here’s the kicker: the service isn’t even available in some major markets yet, like the UK, Brazil, or the EU. Compare that to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which has 250 million weekly active users, and you can see Meta’s coming for the crown.
The Battle’s Just Getting Started
So, is Meta paying Google or Microsoft for search access? It’s unclear for now, but the tech giant showdown is already heating up. Meta’s quest for independence from Google and Microsoft is about much more than just search engines—it’s about becoming a dominant player in the AI landscape. The next chapter in this epic battle for tech supremacy is about to unfold, and Meta’s making sure they’re ready.
Summary
Meta is secretly developing its own search engine to reduce reliance on Google and Microsoft.
The project has been in the works for at least eight months, led by senior engineering manager Xueyuan Su.
The move is driven by Meta’s desire for technological autonomy after losing $10 billion in ad revenue due to Apple’s privacy changes.
Meta AI is already showing strong growth with 185 million weekly active users, despite not launching in major markets.
Meta’s strategic shift could disrupt the AI and search engine landscape, signaling a major battle between tech giants.
