The question is whether there is a sustainable business for doing search, but not ads. An option might be that the search provider can license the search resul

The question is whether there is a sustainable business for doing search, but not ads. An option might be that the search provider can license the search results to different companies putting their individual ads on topmofnthe results. Then different sites could compete for the the best dispaly and usability. Similar to the way elictricity grids are split from providers or railway tracks are split from train operators in many European countries. Issue of course is that with electrical grids and rail networks are a "solved" issue with little innovation. In the search market there is still lots of room for improvement and constant need to adapt to spamers.