Meta AI Develops Search Engine Index to Reduce Reliance on Google
Crawling the Internet: A Sign of Things to Come?
Meta has been quietly crawling the internet using a user agent called Meta-ExternalAgent, a bot that has been collecting data since at least summer 2022. This bot has been reported to be crawling excessively, with one user receiving over 50,000 hits from the bot. While it may have been a testing phase, the bot’s purpose is to summarize search results and reduce reliance on Google and Bing for search results.
The Goal: A Search Index to Complement Meta AI
According to reports, the goal of Meta’s search engine is to provide AI-generated search summaries of current events within the Meta AI chatbot. This would allow the chatbot to become more self-sufficient and not rely on external search engines for information.
The Verge Reports on Meta’s Search Engine
In an article published by The Verge, it was reported that Meta is developing a search engine that would provide AI-generated search summaries of current events within the Meta AI chatbot. The search engine would allow the chatbot to provide users with accurate and concise information on various topics, including news and current events.
A Challenge to Google?
While it is still unclear whether Meta’s search engine is intended to challenge Google’s dominance, the development of a search index to complement Meta AI suggests that the company is looking to become more self-sufficient and independent.
Current State: Still Using Google’s Search Index
As of now, the Meta AI chatbot still uses Google’s search index to provide information to users. For example, a search on Meta AI about the recent World Series game four showed a summary with an accurate answer that had a link to Google.
Conclusion
Meta’s development of a search engine index to reduce reliance on Google and Bing is a significant step forward in the company’s evolution. While it is unclear whether this is a direct challenge to Google, the fact that Meta is looking to become more self-sufficient and independent suggests that the company is serious about its AI chatbot.
FAQs
Q: What is Meta-ExternalAgent?
A: Meta-ExternalAgent is a user agent used by Meta to crawl the internet and collect data.
Q: Why is Meta crawling the internet?
A: Meta is crawling the internet to collect data and summarize search results, with the goal of reducing reliance on Google and Bing for search results.
Q: Is this a challenge to Google?
A: While it is still unclear whether Meta’s search engine is intended to challenge Google’s dominance, the development of a search index to complement Meta AI suggests that the company is looking to become more self-sufficient and independent.
