Meta's Possible Plan to Build Its Own Search Engine for AI – What’s the Deal?
Alright, so what’s going on here? Could Meta actually be cooking up its very own search engine? And if they are, what’s the point?
Lately, there’s been talk that Meta might be building a search tool specifically for Meta AI – the same AI chatbot they launched last September. Right now, Meta leans on Bing (yep, Microsoft’s search engine) and even Google for those quick AI answers we see in Meta AI. But if these whispers are true, Meta might want to go solo, cutting out their reliance on these big-name search engines.
Why? Well, there are a couple of interesting angles here. For starters, this could give Meta a way to dig up data on its own terms, giving them more control and flexibility. It’s especially relevant for apps like Threads, where staying up-to-the-minute with news is key. Imagine Threads delivering real-time info on breaking stories – that’d be pretty powerful, right?
A Little Backstory
When Meta dropped its Meta AI chatbot last year, they announced that it would use Bing to pull in web search results for more well-rounded answers. If the chatbot needed a little extra context from the web, it used Bing and even gave a clickable link to whatever it found.
Fast-forward to this year, and Meta decided to bring Google into the mix too. Same idea – pulling in web searches and giving people a direct link to Google’s search results.
But now, rumor has it that Meta wants to step up its game with its own web crawler. According to a scoop from The Information, Meta is working on its own search tool to do web crawling and answer questions in Meta AI without leaning on Bing or Google. This might be less about becoming a Google competitor and more about gaining some independence. After all, Microsoft and Google are also Meta’s rivals in the AI race – so relying on them forever? Not the safest bet.
Can Meta Pull This Off?
Here’s where it gets tricky. Building a search engine is no small feat – just ask Google and Microsoft. That kind of tech takes a lot of effort to get right. Meta’s been using web crawlers to collect data from various sites for a while now, and recently, they’ve been ramping that up. These crawlers gather all kinds of info for Meta’s AI projects, which could mean they’re already laying the groundwork for this.
But creating a whole new search engine that’s reliable enough to stand on its own? That’s a huge project. Sure, Meta can gather tons of data through these crawlers, but building a tool that finds and delivers relevant, quality info is another story.
What’s in It for Meta?
Here’s the bigger picture: it’s not just about ditching Bing or Google. By gathering its own data directly, Meta could boost its AI language models with fresher, more relevant info – giving it a leg up in the AI race. So, even if this doesn’t end up as a “Meta Search Engine” in the traditional sense, it’s likely about strengthening Meta’s data game, plain and simple.
And let’s be real, with Meta, it’s rarely just one thing. They’re probably thinking about all the ways they can use this data – maybe to fuel personalized content, give users more relevant recommendations, or even build smarter ad tools. But for now, the focus seems to be on making their AI tools better and less reliant on their rivals.
Why This Matters
Look, in the end, this isn’t exactly a shocker. With all the competition in the AI space, Meta needs to stay nimble. Microsoft and Google might not want to lend a helping hand forever, especially since everyone’s gunning for AI supremacy. So Meta building its own search engine? It’s a smart move to stay competitive.
We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out, but if Meta does go through with it, we could be looking at a whole new dynamic in the search and AI space.
Hey there I’m Kylie Simao, owner of a boutique social media marketing agency dedicated to helping new, local and small businesses who want to promote themselves online using social media.