Apple Plans to Launch a Search Engine Powered by Google Tech — and Built to Compete With It
Apple Reportedly Developing AI-Powered Search Engine to Rival ChatGPT and Google
Apple is reportedly preparing to launch its own AI-powered search engine as early as next year, in a move to strengthen its artificial intelligence efforts and challenge rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity, according to a Bloomberg report.
Internally known as “Universal Knowledge Answers”, the system was initially planned as part of an AI-enhanced Siri but has since been shifted into Safari and Apple’s own search platform. Apple executives describe it not as a traditional search engine or AI chatbot, but as an “answer engine”—one reason behind the delay in releasing an AI-powered Siri.
The new system aims to make Siri function more like ChatGPT or Google’s AI-driven search, relying on large language models. The report also notes that the technology is the result of a recent collaboration between Apple and Google, following a partnership agreement finalized this week.
Apple’s search interface is expected to handle text, images, video, and even local points of interest, while offering more accurate summarization of websites and documents than Siri currently provides. It will also integrate with a user’s apps and files on-device, a feature Apple has long promised for Siri but has yet to deliver.
Following the news, Apple shares rose by more than 3.8%, according to Bloomberg.
The report did not specify when Apple will unveil or release the new technology, though speculation is mounting ahead of Apple’s event next week, where the company is set to announce the iPhone 17 lineup and iOS 26.
