Apple is racing to develop its own ChatGPT-like search tool under a new internal initiative, signaling a strategic shift as it struggles to catch rivals in the red-hot AI market. The company has quietly assembled an “Answers, Knowledge, and Information” (AKI) team tasked with creating an AI-powered “answer engine” capable of crawling the web and responding directly to user queries, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This marks a stark reversal for Apple, which previously resisted building a chatbot and instead partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Siri.
The AKI team, led by Robby Walker, a senior director who previously oversaw Siri, is exploring both a standalone app and backend infrastructure to power search capabilities in Siri, Spotlight, and Safari. Walker assumed leadership after Apple delayed its personalized Siri overhaul to 2026, a setback internally described as “ugly and embarrassing”. Job listings reveal Apple is now aggressively hiring engineers with search algorithm and large language model expertise, emphasizing privacy-focused personal data handling.
A Catch-Up Strategy
Apple’s move underscores its lag in generative AI. Despite launching “Apple Intelligence” in 2023 with writing aids, notification summaries, and image tools, the platform has drawn lukewarm reviews for limited functionality and delays to flagship features like Siri’s overhaul. Competitors like Google and OpenAI, meanwhile, have rapidly advanced AI search products that synthesize web information, a capability Apple currently lacks. As Gurman notes, Apple Intelligence “doesn’t support search features,” forcing users to rely on ChatGPT or traditional engines like Google.
The AKI project aims to change this by creating a “stripped-down rival to ChatGPT” focused on accuracy and speed over creative generation. Early prototypes suggest a system that prioritizes concise answers instead of links, reducing Siri’s dependence on Google Search results.
Leadership and Challenges
CEO Tim Cook has greenlit the push, telling staff after a strong Q3 earnings call that the AI revolution is “ours to grab”. But philosophical reservations persist among Apple executives. Some leaders historically opposed chatbots over concerns about misinformation risks and low consumer interest. Others argue Apple’s privacy-centric approach to processing data on-device via its A18 and M-series chips constrains complex AI tasks.
“Apple’s ‘not first, but best’ ethos is being tested,” says Dr. Elena Torres, an AI researcher at Stanford. “Their strength is vertical integration of hardware and software, but generative AI demands massive cloud infrastructure. Private Cloud Compute helps, but matching ChatGPT’s versatility requires a cultural shift.” Apple’s recent loss of four AI researchers to Meta underscores internal turbulence.
While Apple explores partnerships with AI search startups like Perplexity, the AKI team’s work remains in early stages. A consumer-ready product is unlikely before 2026, potentially debuting alongside the delayed Siri upgrades. For now, Apple Intelligence users on iPhone 15 Pro/16 models and newer Macs will continue accessing ChatGPT via Siri for complex queries.
As tech giants pour billions into AI, Apple’s gamble highlights a high-stakes acknowledgment: to stay relevant, it must finally build its brain.
Subscribe to my whatsapp channel
Comments are closed.