The search engine market is valued in the billions, with Google Search alone generating up to 175 billion USD in 2023. Unsurprisingly, Meta is eyeing a share of this market by developing its AI-powered search engine. This move could position Meta as a significant player in the search engine arena, potentially reducing the global reliance on established giants like Google and Bing.
Although details on Meta’s search engine are still limited, it is rumored to resemble other AI-driven search engines like Perplexity AI.
Perplexity aggregates information from various news sources, responding to user queries by analyzing the web in a conversational format, distinguishing itself from traditional keyword-based search engines. This interactive approach enables users to ask follow-up questions, making the search experience more dynamic and engaging.
Meta’s search engine is expected to function similarly but will have a significant advantage in user reach due to Meta’s AI, already deeply integrated into social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. This means users may soon access the search engine directly from any of Meta’s social media platforms, greatly enhancing its accessibility.
AI at the core of search engine strategies
In August, AI tracking companies like Originity AI and Dark Faces reported detecting AI bots labeled as Meta-External Agent and Meta-ExternalFetcher as early as July. These bots are expected to play a critical role in training Meta’s AI by collecting publicly available information and indexing web links for search queries.
Meta has confirmed to Extreme Tech that it has long been using these bots to gather publicly accessible user data from the web to develop its AI-powered search engine.
If successful, this initiative could disrupt major players like Google. While Google recently launched its AI-based search summarization feature in several countries, Meta could leverage its strong social media presence to emerge as a formidable competitor in the search engine market.
Google faces multiple competitors
Meta isn’t the only tech giant aiming to challenge Google’s dominance in search. According to Bloomberg, Apple is actively exploring the development of its search engine, which could potentially replace Google as the default option on iPhones. Additionally, OpenAI is creating its AI-powered search engine, intensifying the competition for Google’s leading position.
As more companies seek to differentiate themselves from Google or develop alternatives, Google’s dominance in the search engine market could face substantial challenges. This trend may lead to increased competition and innovation, reshaping how users access online information.
If Meta successfully launches its AI-powered search engine, the market dynamics will be closely watched. We’ll see whether Google can maintain its impressive 90 % market share or if it will start to lose ground to emerging competitors like Meta and others.
