Ask Jeeves may have just launched its own paid search ad program, but it does not want to sever ties with Google, Ask Jeeves CEO Steve Berkowitz is quoted by DM News as saying earlier this week. "We love the Google relationship. I can see it lasting forever," he said. But he added that the focus is on "developing our relationship with advertisers. We need to understand conversion and deal directly with the advertiser." In the future, Berkowitz hopes to use other IAC properties iWon, with its broad consumer platform, Excite and other brands to grow Ask Jeeves.

Meanwhile, CNET reports now that it's part of Barry Diller's InterActiveCorp, Ask Jeeves is getting thinner, cutting back on sponsored results that bloated its site and increasing more relevant links, according to Berkowitz.

Based on English author P.G. Wodehouse's valet character, Jeeves has lost his butler suit and some of his girth on his website, the name of which could be shortened to just Ask. Ask Jeeves, Usually ranked fourth behind Google, Yahoo, and MSN, will invest heavily in marketing, building up its brand and new product development, Berkowitz said.