In response to the significant impact of an Apple privacy feature introduced three years ago, Meta is reportedly taking steps to reduce its reliance on tech giants Google and Microsoft. According to a report by The Information on Monday, Meta is in the process of developing a search engine specifically for its chatbot. Additionally, the company has recently partnered with Reuters to enhance its AI’s ability to answer news-related questions.
Web Indexing Efforts
Meta has been working on indexing the web for at least the past eight months. The objective is to integrate these indexes into Meta AI, providing the chatbot with an alternative to Google Search and Microsoft Bing. This summer, Meta publicly disclosed its web crawler technology, stating it was intended for “training AI models or improving products,” without explicitly mentioning the development of a search backend. The search engine project is reportedly being led by Senior Engineering Manager Xueyuan Su.
Reducing Dependence on Big Tech
The move to develop its own search engine is seen as a direct response to Meta’s dependence on other Big Tech companies, which has previously caused issues for the company. One notable example is Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature, introduced in 2021, which Meta claimed would result in over $10 billion in lost ad revenue. The company was so concerned about this feature that it was sued for allegedly attempting to evade its rules.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy appears to be aimed at making Meta as autonomous as possible to avoid similar disruptions in the future. This is particularly relevant if Google or Microsoft were to cut off Meta’s access to web searches. It remains unclear whether Meta currently pays either company for this access.
AI Investments Paying Off
Meta’s investments in AI seem to be yielding positive results. In August, Zuckerberg posted on Threads that Meta AI boasts over 185 million weekly active users and more than 400 million monthly users. “Growing quickly, and we haven’t even rolled out in the UK, Brazil, or EU yet,” the Facebook founder wrote.
For comparison, OpenAI reported earlier this month that ChatGPT had 250 million weekly users. By developing its own search engine and continuing to invest in AI, Meta aims to reduce its dependence on external tech giants and enhance its capabilities, positioning itself for greater autonomy and resilience in the tech landscape.
