Apple Forms Team to Build AI 'Answer Engine' for Siri and Safari

Apple is reportedly building a new team to develop an "answer engine" similar to ChatGPT. The team, called Answers, Knowledge, and Information, aims to create an app or integrate search capabilities in Apple products such as Siri and Safari. The team is advertising for experienced applicants in search algorithms and engine development. This move comes as Apple has delayed its own AI-powered Siri update and may need to renegotiate its search deal with Google due to the latter's antitrust defeat.

Apple Inc. is reportedly building a new team, named Answers, Knowledge, and Information (AKI), to develop an "answer engine" similar to ChatGPT. The team aims to create an app or integrate search capabilities into Apple products such as Siri and Safari. This move comes as Apple has delayed its own AI-powered Siri update and may need to renegotiate its search deal with Google due to the latter's antitrust defeat.

The AKI team, led by Robby Walker, a senior director reporting to AI chief John Giannandrea, is exploring a stripped-down version of ChatGPT for Apple's search experience. The team is advertising for experienced applicants in search algorithms and engine development. A standalone app and new back-end infrastructure are under exploration to power search capabilities in future versions of Siri, Spotlight, and Safari.

Apple has been facing criticism for not developing its own search engine, despite the widespread success of products like ChatGPT. While Siri can handle basic queries, it often needs to hand off more complex requests to ChatGPT or perform generic Google searches. This reliance on external tools has put Apple in a vulnerable position, especially considering the potential changes to its search deal with Google.

The AKI team's goal is to fill this gap by creating an in-house AI service that can provide conversational, AI-powered search experiences. This development comes at a time when the search landscape is rapidly evolving, with generative AI tools like ChatGPT gaining significant traction. Apple's head of services, Eddy Cue, has testified that AI-based search is the future and that Apple is exploring partnerships to move towards a more modern search experience.

The formation of the AKI team signals a shift in Apple's approach to AI and search. Despite internal reservations about ChatGPT-style tools, the company is clearly heading in the direction of developing its own search capabilities. The team's job listings indicate a focus on creating intuitive information experiences across Apple's iconic products.

References:

[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-08-03/apple-s-chatgpt-rival-from-new-answers-team-iphone-17-spotted-in-the-wild-mdvmqs6g