European Google rivals partner on search engine infrastructure to counter Big Tech
Ecosia and Qwant are partnering to build a European search index and reduce their dependence on U.S. Big Tech firms.
LISBON, Portugal — Ecosia and Qwant, two search engines competing with Google, announced a partnership Tuesday to build a European search index and reduce their dependence on U.S. Big Tech firms.
The two internet search firms agreed a joint venture, called the European Search Perspective or EUSP, with ownership split 50-50 between both firms. With a view to launch in France in early 2025, the venture aims to serve "improved" French and German language search results.
Ecosia is based in Berlin, while Qwant is headquartered in Paris. Qwant is a privacy-focused search engine that promises not to track users or resell their personal data. Ecosia's search engine focuses on sustainability, pledging to plant one tree for every 50 searches on its platform.
Search infrastructure is what powers our access to the web, but it's currently primarily controlled by Google, the dominant search engine with a more than 90% share of the global market. Even alternative search engines, such as Ecosia and Qwant, have to rely on existing tech from companies like Microsoft to deliver search results.
Christian Kroll, CEO of Ecosia, told CNBC the project had been made possible, in part, by new tech-focused competition rules in the European Union. The Digital Markets Act, which came into force earlier this year, requires Big Tech firms it calls "gatekeepers" to offer fair and reasonable access to their platforms.
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I believe they're realizing if they don't take control over some amount of AI, US will rule them with AI in the future and Europe will be way below. Time will tell the competition level of this move