New Delhi: Apple might finally be waking up to the AI race, and it’s starting with something surprising, a web search engine powered by artificial intelligence. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company has quietly formed a new team working on a ChatGPT-like system that can search the internet and answer questions, much like Perplexity or Google’s Gemini.
This development comes at a time when Apple is struggling to keep up with rivals in the generative AI space. Its earlier announcements around Apple Intelligence and the ChatGPT integration with Siri haven’t done much to shift public opinion. Delays in launching a revamped Siri, alongside lukewarm feedback to features like Genmoji and notification summaries, have left Apple trailing far behind.
Apple’s new AI search plan: Inside the AKI team
As per the report, Apple has created an internal group named Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI). This team is led by Robby Walker, who previously headed the Siri project. The goal is clear, build what the company calls an “answer engine” that can crawl the web and deliver information directly to users.
Bloomberg notes, “While still in early stages, the team is building what it calls an ‘answer engine’, a system capable of crawling the web to respond to general-knowledge questions.” That sounds eerily close to what OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity are doing today.
Interestingly, Apple had also shown interest in Perplexity AI, one of the fastest-growing AI startups focused on AI-first browsing. But Perplexity’s CEO made it clear they weren’t looking to be acquired. That hasn’t stopped Apple from exploring ways to bring similar functionality to its ecosystem.
Siri is still stuck in the past
Right now, Siri lacks the fluidity and accuracy users get from other AI assistants. In fact, asking Siri a question like “What’s the capital of Peru?” often ends in a web search suggestion or a referral to ChatGPT, especially after Apple’s partnership with OpenAI.
It’s not seamless. Ask Siri anything a little complex, and it pops up a box asking permission to send the query to ChatGPT. Once accepted, ChatGPT responds, but it feels more like a handoff than a real assistant doing the job.
Compare that to how Google’s Gemini responds within Chrome, or how Perplexity’s Comet browser switches between web and AI modes depending on the query. Bloomberg’s reporting suggests Apple is now looking to close that gap with its own integrated system.
A long road ahead
Apple’s new AI search engine is still early in development, and there’s no official launch date yet. Reports suggest that even the broader Siri revamp may not arrive before late 2026. That’s a long wait in an AI space where things change month to month.
Apple’s delays have already led to a stopgap deal with OpenAI. ChatGPT is now powering some of Siri’s backend and parts of the Apple Intelligence rollout. But relying on another company’s model isn’t something Apple usually sticks with for long. Its in-house projects, like AKI, are likely aimed at reducing that dependence.
Still, challenges remain. A recent wave of exits from Apple’s AI division has raised fresh questions about its internal roadmap. Some of the top talent reportedly left for startups or rival labs, making it even harder for Apple to keep pace.
Is Apple too late to the AI search party?
Companies like Google and Microsoft have already reshaped web search using generative AI. Google’s Gemini is now deeply woven into search, Gmail, and Docs. Microsoft’s Copilot sits across Windows and Edge. Meanwhile, Apple’s Safari hasn’t seen much innovation.
For Apple to catch up, it might need more than just a Siri update. It may have to reimagine how users interact with AI across devices, from Spotlight and Safari to iMessage and Mail.