Google Acquires Social Search Engine Aardvark

Google wants social features very badly, it seems. Damon Horowitz, CTO and co-founder of Aardvark, an interesting search startup that integrates social interaction and artificial intelligence, has today confirmed reports that the company has been acquired by Google.

I wrote recently about the company’s approach to search–Aardvark uses artificial intelligence to find the right people to answer a user’s query. It then trusts those people to provide the desired information and refine the query as needed.

I’ve used Aardvark a great deal in the months since, and I’ve found it invaluable for answering questions that benefit from human guidance or opinion. It’s a great place, for example, to ask “How do I get started making electronic music?” or “What’s a mind-blowing novel of first contact?”