Ecosia and Qwant team up to create European search index and reduce reliance on Big Tech

Ecosia and Qwant have formed a partnership to create a European search index, aiming to reduce reliance on U.S. tech firms like Google. The joint venture, named European Search Perspective (EUSP), will focus on improving search results in French and German. The new index will be built from scratch, allowing both companies to offer a "privacy-first" search experience. This development comes as they face rising costs from Microsoft for access to its search technology. The initiative is supported by new EU regulations that require fair access to tech platforms. Ecosia and Qwant aim to enhance their independence and provide a secure data pool for future AI technologies.