Apple continues to find a foothold in the artificial intelligence race, and its next efforts could lead the company into web search. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported the, that Apple is building a search platform that could be integrated into its revamped AI-powered Siri. The sources say the tool, internally called World Knowledge Answers, could also be added to the Safari web browser and the Spotlight smartphone search interface.
Apple's AI efforts have been under scrutiny since the botched Apple Intelligence presentation at WWDC 2024. Since then, the company appears to still be in a difficult position, with an updated Siri with AI features not expected until 2026. This proposed search tool would be part of a planned Siri reboot next spring.
Some key aspects of Siri are still unclear. The company has reportedly been testing using Google’s Gemini to power a version of the AI assistant, though it has yet to make a final decision on whether to use that approach. Considering an external partnership for this important feature is one way Apple could strengthen its AI offerings. CEO Tim Cook has also said that the company is open to acquisitions to help it execute on its current roadmap. There have even been rumors that the company was considering acquiring Perplexity.
Apple has historically shied away from search, but this move could signal that more of its potential customers are turning to AI-powered chatbots to access information online. And especially if the company adds an AI option to Safari, Apple will be able to compete more directly with other big tech companies that offer their own chatbots, like Google with Gemini or Microsoft with Copilot. It could also bring it closer to parity with AI companies entering the browser market, like Perplexity and OpenAI.
