European Search Engines Unite to Challenge Google’s Dominance
In a bold move to reduce dependence on US tech giants, two European search engines, Ecosia and Qwant, have formed a partnership to create a European search index. This joint venture, dubbed the European Search Perspective (EUSP), aims to provide improved search results in French and German languages, with plans to launch in France in early 2025.
A Shift Towards Sovereignty
Ecosia, a Berlin-based search engine focused on sustainability, and Qwant, a Paris-based privacy-focused search engine, will split ownership of the venture 50-50. This move is seen as a response to the current state of search infrastructure, which is largely controlled by Google, holding over 90% of the global market share. Even alternative search engines rely on existing tech from companies like Microsoft to deliver search results.
New Tech-Focused Competition Rules
The Digital Markets Act, implemented earlier this year, requires Big Tech firms to offer fair and reasonable access to their platforms. This has paved the way for Ecosia and Qwant to build their own search index from scratch, using a mix of different search engines and amassing results.
A “Privacy-First” Approach
The new search index will prioritize user privacy, utilizing Qwant’s redesigned technologies from 2023. Both companies will use the search index themselves, and the tech will also be made available to other independent search engines and tech firms.
Breaking Free from US Dependence
The launch comes as alternative search providers face increasing prices from Microsoft to access its Bing Search API. Olivier Abecassis, CEO of Qwant, emphasized the need for European companies to build technology that ensures sovereignty and independence from third-party decisions.
A Warning from History
Christian Kroll, CEO of Ecosia, cautioned that Europe’s reliance on US technology could lead to vulnerabilities, citing the disruption to European energy supplies after Russia cut off gas to Europe following its invasion of Ukraine.
A Transparent and Secure Data Pool
Ecosia and Qwant aim to offer a “transparent and secure data pool” for new AI technologies, recognizing the importance of access to a good index in the shift towards generative AI.
The Rise of Generative AI
The popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT has put pressure on incumbent search giant Google, as people increasingly turn to chatbots for information. New search engines, such as Perplexity, have also entered the market, offering generative-AI-based alternatives to Google.
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