ask.com

File:Jeeves-in-2009.jpg

Ask.com was originally known as Ask Jeeves,{{Cite web|url=https://www.searchenginewatch.com/1997/08/04/the-search-engine-report-august-5-1997-number-9/|title=The Search Engine Report - August 5, 1997 Number 9|date=August 5, 1997|website=Search Engine Watch|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980706221359/http://www.searchenginewatch.com/sereport/9708-askjeeves.html|archive-date=July 6, 1998|url-status=live|access-date=January 15, 2019}} "Jeeves" being the name of a "gentleman's personal gentleman", or valet, fetching answers to any question asked. The character was named after Jeeves, Bertie Wooster's valet in the fictional works of P. G. Wodehouse.{{Cite web|url=http://searchenginewatch.com/sew/news/2063925/whats-in-a-search-engines-name|title=What's In A (Search Engine's) Name?|last=Sherman|first=Chris|date=2003-10-08|website=Search Engine Watch|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103053032/http://searchenginewatch.com/sew/news/2063925/whats-in-a-search-engines-name|archive-date=2015-01-03|access-date=2019-02-13}}

The original concept of Ask Jeeves was to allow users to get answers to questions in everyday, natural language, and traditional keyword searching. Throughout its history, Ask was particularly well known for its answer functionality on the topics of mathematics, vocabulary, and unit conversion. Authors also contributed general articles about various other topics, similar to an encyclopedia. As other InterActiveCorp publications were gradually connected with the Ask software, articles on thousands of topics became accessible.

Ask Jeeves was initiated as a beta version during mid-April 1997 and was initiated completely on June 1, 1997.

On September 18, 2001, Ask Jeeves acquired Teoma for more than $1.5 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rustybrick.com/seo_articles_7.php|title=Teoma – The Superior Search Engine?|website=www.rustybrick.com|access-date=2019-01-29}}

In July 2005, Ask Jeeves was acquired by IAC.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofseo.com/The-Industry/Short_History_of_Early_Search_Engines.aspx|title=Short History of Early Search Engines – The History of SEO|website=www.thehistoryofseo.com|access-date=2019-02-03|archive-date=2019-01-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121213229/http://www.thehistoryofseo.com/The-Industry/Short_History_of_Early_Search_Engines.aspx|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.iac.com/Our-Businesses/Ask.com|title=IAC|website=www.iac.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226040600/http://www.iac.com/Our-Businesses/Ask.com|archive-date=2010-12-26|access-date=2019-02-18}}

In February 2006, the name "Jeeves" was eliminated from Ask Jeeves, and the search engine renamed Ask.

On May 16, 2006, Ask implemented a "Binoculars Site Preview" into its search results. On search results pages, the "binoculars" let searchers have a preview of the page they could visit with a mouse-over activating a pop-up screenshot.

On June 5, 2007, Ask.com was redesigned with a 3D appearance.[https://www.techcrunch.com/2007/06/04/major-relaunch-for-ask-ask3d/ Major Relaunch For Ask: Ask3D], Techcrunch, June 4, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2007.

In December 2007, Ask released the AskEraser feature,[https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2007/07/ask-com-takes-lead-log-retention-microsoft-and-yahoo-follow Ask.com Takes the Lead on Log Retention; Microsoft and Yahoo! Follow], eff.org. Retrieved January 3, 2008. allowing users to opt-out from tracking of search queries and IP and cookie values. They also announced they would erase this data after 18 months if the AskEraser option was not set. HTTP cookies must be enabled for AskEraser to function.{{cite web|title=Does AskEraser Really Erase?|url=http://epic.org/privacy/ask/default.html |publisher=Electronic Privacy Information Center|access-date=March 10, 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080308235509/http://epic.org/privacy/ask/default.html| archive-date= March 8, 2008 | url-status= live}}{{cite web|title=Letter to U.S. Federal Trade Commission|url=http://www.cdt.org/privacy/20080123_FTC_Ask.pdf|publisher=Center for Democracy and Technology|date=January 23, 2008|access-date=March 10, 2008}}

File:Ask with wikipedia.png

On July 4, 2008, Ask acquired Lexico Publishing Group, which owns Dictionary.com, Thesaurus.com, and Reference.com.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN0337985120080703|title=Ask.com closes acquisition of Dictionary.com |work=Reuters |date=July 3, 2008 | first=Eric | last=Auchard}}{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8300-10784_3-7-0.html?keyword=Dictionary.com|title=Ask.com closes Dictionary.com deal|publisher=CNet|date=July 4, 2008}}

In August 2008, Ask initiated the Ask Kids search engine designed for children.

In April 2009, for the UK version of Ask.com, Jeeves was redesigned as a CGI character and the website was named once again Ask Jeeves, though international versions were still just Ask.com.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2009/apr/20/ask-jeeves-resurrected|title=Jeeves rises from the dead|work=The Guardian|date=April 20, 2009}} His image remained on the UK website until July 21, 2016, though the Ask Jeeves name would continue to be used until September 21, 2016, when the website was renamed Ask.

On July 26, 2010, Ask.com released a closed-beta Q&A service. The service was released to the public on July 29, 2010.{{cite web|url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ask-com-Q-A-Service-Drops-July-29th-149176.shtml|title=Ask.com Q&A Service Drops July 29th|publisher=Softpedia|date=July 27, 2010}} Ask.com initiated its mobile Q&A application for the iPhone during late 2010.{{cite news|last=Christian|first=Zibreg|title=Ask.com has an iPhone app that lets you ask and get local answers|url=http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/ask-com-has-an-iphone-app-that-lets-you-ask-and-get-local-answers-20100924/|newspaper=Geek.com|date=September 24, 2010|access-date=May 20, 2011|archive-date=March 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318121234/http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/ask-com-has-an-iphone-app-that-lets-you-ask-and-get-local-answers-20100924/|url-status=dead}}

Ask.com reached 100 million global users per month in 2012{{cite web|last=Sterling|first=Greg|title=Ask CEO Doug Leeds Proclaims Search Wars "Over," Says Yahoo Can Be Great Again|date=11 October 2012 |url=http://searchengineland.com/ask-ceo-doug-leeds-proclaims-search-wars-over-says-yahoo-can-be-great-again-136263|publisher=Search Engine Land|access-date=October 16, 2012}} through its website with more than 2 million downloads of its flagship mobile app in that year.{{cite web|last=Knight|first=Kristina|title=How Tina Fey inspired Ask.com to change|url=http://www.bizreport.com/2012/05/how-tina-fey-inspired-askcom-to-change.html|publisher=BizReport|access-date=October 16, 2012}} The company has also released additional applications developed from its Q&A experience, including Ask Around{{cite web|last=Perez|first=Marin|title=Ask Around app brings location-based conversations to iPhone|url=http://www.intomobile.com/2011/03/03/ask-around-location-app-iphone/|publisher=Into Mobile|access-date=October 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801075906/http://www.intomobile.com/2011/03/03/ask-around-location-app-iphone/|archive-date=August 1, 2013|url-status=dead}} in 2011 and PollRoll{{cite web|last=Spirrison |first=Brad |title=Ask.com hits the polls with Pollroll |url=http://www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/11279-ask-com-hits-the-polls-with-pollroll |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121128144636/http://www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/11279-ask-com-hits-the-polls-with-pollroll |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 28, 2012 |publisher=Appolicious |access-date=October 16, 2012 }} in 2012.

In 2010, Ask.com shuttered its in-house web search engine service, which was replaced by a new Ask search engine created by third-party developer.{{cite news|last=Kopytoff|first=Verne|title=Ask.com to Return to Old Service|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/technology/internet/10ask.html|work=New York Times|date=November 9, 2010|access-date=August 27, 2013}}

The restructuring programme included the termination of all development on the Ask.com webcrawler, the outsourcing of most web search operations, and the loss of 130 search engineering jobs. The company cited market headwinds and intense competition from larger rivals, such as Google and Yahoo.{{cite news|last=Kopytoff|first=Verne|title=Ask.com to Return to Old Service|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/technology/internet/10ask.html|work=New York Times|date=November 9, 2010|access-date=August 27, 2013}}

Earlier in the year, Ask had initiated a Q&A community for generating answers from real people as opposed to search algorithms. This new service was then combined with the existing question-and–answer repository, which included an extensive archive of query data. The new database and answer engine improved on the original capabilities of the AskJeeves Q&A functions, generating many more answers.{{cite web|last=Van Grove|first=Jennifer|title=Ask.com Reinvents Itself with a Focus on Community Q&A|url=http://mashable.com/2010/07/26/ask-beta/|work=Mashable|access-date=August 27, 2013}}

Ask Sponsored Listings, formerly the direct-sales division for Ask.com, is no longer available, having merged with Sendori, an operating business of IAC, in 2011.{{cite web|title=Ask Sponsored Listings is now Sedori|url=http://advertisersupport.sendori.com/entries/20191622-ask-sponsored-listings-is-now-sendori|publisher=Sendori|access-date=October 29, 2012|archive-date=August 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819010302/http://advertisersupport.sendori.com/entries/20191622-ask-sponsored-listings-is-now-sendori|url-status=dead}}

In April 2025, Ask.com exited the web search engine market after 27 years.https://www.ask.com/news/changing-search-engines-simple-tutorial-replacing-yahoo-google This included the shutdown of the web search engine service on the Norton SafeSearch web portal (a joint venture with Gen Digital, that included anti-virus features integrated with the Ask web search engine). Users of Ask.com Search and Norton SafeSearch were thereafter limited to search results from a database of articles published on Ask Media Group mastheads prior to Q4 2022.https://www.ask.com/news/changing-search-engines-simple-tutorial-replacing-yahoo-google The changes were abruptly rolled out, with no written notice of the changes appearing on either website. The Ask.com technical support department, which previously assisted users affected by faults on the Ask service, also ceased operations at this time.

In May 2025, Ask Media Group made radical changes to the company's business model, with the rollout of new core software that provides all content via a large language model system of generative artificial intelligence.https://www.ask.com/news/benefits-chatting-ask-ai-enhancing-customer-service. Large quantities of new, unsigned articles are regularly published on the Ask service, all of which are generated automatically by the core software. The A.I. engine also dynamically rewrites old articles that were written by former Ask journalists, with thousands of articles being automatically updated every month.

No major technology publication reported on these drastic changes at the time. It is unclear if Ask Media Group attempted to send press releases informing journalists of the new business model.

Ask.com currently does not offer a chatbot service. Ask Jeeves co-founder Garrett Gruener stated in an interview that Amazon Alexa "essentially [uses] the same approach we designed for Jeeves, just with voice", and that the current A.I. based model of Microsoft Bing is very similar to the original Ask Jeeves concept. https://www.aol.com/ask-jeeves-founder-says-ai-174643613.html

Memes Apps, LLC, an unrelated North Hollywood software company, operates a chatbot-based service called Jeeves.AI, which uses the slogan "Ask Jeeves anything". The software uses an interface built around a ChatGPT model. At present it is unclear if the service is violating the trademarks of Ask Media Group.http://www.jeeves.ai

File:Askcomheadquarters.jpg, California (photographed in 2006)|left]]

The Ask Media Group corporate headquarters is located in downtown Oakland, California, based at the 555 City Center building within the Oakland City Center precinct.

Ask Jeeves, Inc. stock traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange from July 1999 to July 2005, using the ticker symbol ASKJ. In July 2005, the ASKJ ticker was retired upon the acquisition by IAC, valued at US$1.85 billion.

The current Ask Media Group president, Douglas Leeds became CEO in 2010.{{cite web|title=IAC Management |url=http://iac.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=20&item=2491 |work=IAC |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105004656/http://iac.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=20&item=2491 |archive-date=January 5, 2012 }}

In 2012, Ask.com made two acquisitions as part of a larger strategy to offer more content on the Ask.com website. On July 2, 2012, Ask.com purchased content discovery start-up{{cite web|last=de Senerpont Domis |first=Olaf |title=Q&A with Ask.com's CEO and nRelate's Founder |url=http://www.thedeal.com/content/tmt/qa-with-askcoms-ceo-and-nrelates-founder.php |publisher=The Deal Pipeline |access-date=October 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710110209/http://www.thedeal.com/content/tmt/qa-with-askcoms-ceo-and-nrelates-founder.php |archive-date=July 10, 2012 }} nRelate for an undisclosed amount. That was followed by the company's acquisition of expert advice and information site About.com, which closed in September 2012.{{cite web|last=Stewart|first=Christopher|title=Times Co. Sells About.com for $300 Million|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444914904577613951078689744?KEYWORDS=aboutcom|publisher=Wall Street Journal|access-date=October 23, 2012}}

On August 14, 2014, Ask.com acquired popular social networking website Ask.fm, where users can ask other users questions, with the option of anonymity.{{cite web|last1=Magid|first1=Larry|title=IAC's Ask.com Buys Ask.fm And Hires A Safety Officer To Stem Bullying|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymagid/2014/08/14/iacs-ask-com-buys-ask-fm-and-hires-a-safety-officer-to-stem-bullying/|work=Forbes|access-date=August 29, 2014}} As of August 14, 2014, Ask.fm had 180 million monthly unique users in more than 150 countries,{{cite web|last1=Curtis|first1=Sophie|title=Tinder owner buys social network ASKfm|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11034923/Tinder-owner-buys-social-network-Ask.fm.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11034923/Tinder-owner-buys-social-network-Ask.fm.html |archive-date=2022-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The Telegraph|date=14 August 2014 |access-date=August 29, 2014}}{{cbignore}} with its largest user base in the United States.{{cite web|last1=Sullivan|first1=Laurie|title=Ask.com Acquires Q&A Social Network Ask.fm, Prepares To Add Tools To Increase Safety|url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/232144/askcom-acquires-qa-social-network-askfm-prepar.html|website=Media Post|access-date=August 29, 2014}} Available on the web and as a mobile app, Ask.fm generates an estimated 20,000 questions per minute with approximately 45 percent of its mobile monthly active users logging in daily.{{cite web|last1=Perez|first1=Sarah|title=IAC Agrees To Work With Regulators On Cyberbullying Protections Following ASKfm Deal|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/08/14/ask-com-agrees-to-work-with-regulators-on-cyberbullying-protections-following-ask-fm-acquisition/|website=Techcrunch|date=14 August 2014 |access-date=August 29, 2014}} {{As of|2014}}, the mobile app has been downloaded more than 40 million times.

In 2021, Ask re-initiated its function SymptomFind{{cite web |title=About SymptomFind |url=https://www.symptomfind.com/about |website=Ask Media Group}} and introduced the new finance-based site Ask Money.{{cite web |title=Ask Money Homepage |url=https://www.askmoney.com/ |website=Ask Money |publisher=Ask Media Group}}

From November 1999, in some areas Ask Jeeves advertised on produce stickers on apples, oranges and bananas. Questions such as "How many calories in a banana?" were printed alongside the Ask Jeeves web address.{{cite web |last1=Fabricant |first1=Florence |title=RESPONSIBLE PARTY: DAVID HELLIER; Your $40 Pledge, Her $3 Tote Bag Have Answers? Plant a Question |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/07/business/responsible-party-david-hellier-your-40-pledge-her-3-tote-bag-have-answers-plant.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=10 May 2024 |date=7 May 2000}}{{cite web |last1=Trigaux |first1=Robert |title=No space is sacred when it comes to alternative advertising |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/12/03/no-space-is-sacred-when-it-comes-to-alternative-advertising/ |website=Tampa Bay Times |access-date=10 May 2024 |language=en |date=3 December 2000}}

A Jeeves balloon and a float appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade during 2000–2004.{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Ellen |title=Ask Jeeves closes door on the butler / Familiar mascot retired as search site becomes Ask.com |url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Ask-Jeeves-closes-door-on-the-butler-Familiar-2503272.php |website=SFGATE |access-date=10 May 2024 |language=en |date=27 February 2006}}

Apostolos Gerasoulis, the co-creator of Ask's Teoma algorithmic search technology, featured in four television advertisements in 2007, extolling the virtues of Ask.com's usefulness for information relevance.{{cite web|url=http://about.ask.com/docs/about/televisionads.shtml |title=About Ask.com: TV Spots |access-date=April 25, 2007 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070410132033/http://about.ask.com/docs/about/televisionads.shtml |archive-date=April 10, 2007 |url-status=dead }}

After a hiatus from mass consumer marketing, Ask reinstated its website's format to emphasize questions and answers, and resumed advertising by television during the autumn of 2011.{{cite web|last= Ha|first= Anthony|title= Ask.com Returns to TV, Cautiously|url= http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/askcom-returns-tv-cautiously-136064|publisher= AdWeek|access-date=November 12, 2012}} Instead of national advertising, Ask emphasized local markets. During the summer of 2012, initiated a national cinema campaign,{{cite web|last= Vega|first= Tanzina|author-link=Tanzina Vega |title= Ask.com Heralds a New Focus|url= http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/new-ask-com-ads-highlight-change-in-focus|work= New York Times|access-date= November 12, 2012}} along with other out-of-home tactics in certain markets such as New York and Seattle.{{cite web|last= Sandoval|first= Greg|title= Hey, Times Square! I'm Google+. Please Notice Me|url= http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57512960-93/hey-times-square-im-google--please-notice-me/|publisher= CNET|access-date= November 12, 2012}}

As part of a Seattle-based local market effort, Ask.com initiated its campaign "You Asked We Answered"{{cite web|last=Sullivan|first=Laurie|title=Ask.com Launches 'You Asked' Branding Campaign|url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/173829/askcom-launches-you-asked-branding-campaign.html|publisher=Media Post|access-date=November 12, 2012}} during 2012, in which the company "answered" residents' main complaints about living in their city, including easing morning commutes and stadium traffic, as well as keeping the local Parks and Recreation department's wading pools open.

On January 14, 2009, Ask.com became the official sponsor of 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Bobby Labonte's No. 96 Ford. Ask would become the official search engine of NASCAR.{{cite web|author= Official Release |url= http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/cup/01/14/ask.com.partnerships/index.html |title= – Ask.com enters NASCAR with multi-faceted program |publisher= Nascar.com |date=January 14, 2009 |access-date=July 12, 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110628181843/http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/cup/01/14/ask.com.partnerships/index.html| archive-date= June 28, 2011 | url-status= live}} Ask.com was the primary sponsor for the No. 96 for 18 of the first 21 races and had rights to increase this to a total of 29 races that season.{{cite web |author=Duane Cross |url=http://bbs.cid.cn.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/cup/01/13/blabonte.hof.racing/index.html |title=Labonte will drive No. 96 for Hall of Fame in 2009 – 14 January 2009 |publisher=Bbs.cid.cn.nascar.com |access-date=July 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714154201/http://bbs.cid.cn.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/cup/01/13/blabonte.hof.racing/index.html |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} The Ask.com car debuted in the 2009 Bud Shootout where it failed to finish the race, but subsequently returned strongly, placing as high as 5th in a March 1, 2009, Shelby 427 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.[http://www.ask.com/nascar/2009-Shelby-427-race#results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331204759/http://www.ask.com/nascar/2009-Shelby-427-race#results|date=March 31, 2009}} Ask.com's foray into NASCAR represented the first instance of its venture into what it terms "Super Verticals".{{cite web|url= http://searchengineland.com/askcom-partners-with-nascar-says-super-vertical-will-put-it-back-in-search-race-16143 |title= Ask.com Partners With NASCAR, Says "Super Verticals" Will Put It Back In Search Race |publisher= Searchengineland.com |date=January 13, 2009 |access-date=July 12, 2011}}

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AskJeeves

Category:Internet search engines

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