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Apple forms team to develop ChatGPT-style answer engine
Apple has formed a new team to explore building a ChatGPT-like product, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
A team at the company, reportedly named Answers, Knowledge, and Information, is working on an “answer engine” that gathers information from the web.
This technology could take the form of a standalone app or be integrated into Siri, Safari, or other Apple products.
Apple is currently hiring for roles related to this project, seeking candidates with experience in search algorithms and engine development.
Apple has announced plans to integrate ChatGPT with Siri, but this feature has not yet launched, and other AI-powered updates have faced delays.
Apple may also need to revisit its search partnership with Google after Google’s recent antitrust defeat.
🔗 Source: TechCrunch
🧠 Food for thought
1️⃣ Apple’s search team timing aligns with potential loss of massive Google revenue
Apple’s formation of the “Answers, Knowledge, and Information” team comes as the company faces potential loss of up to $20 billion in annual payments from Google due to ongoing antitrust proceedings.
Google currently pays Apple between $15 billion and $20 billion yearly to remain the default search engine on Apple devices, representing roughly 20% of Apple’s Services revenue12.
The Department of Justice’s antitrust case against Google found the company liable for monopolistic practices, specifically regarding these default search agreements, putting Apple’s substantial revenue stream at serious risk3.
This timing suggests Apple is proactively building internal search capabilities rather than waiting for a potential court ruling that could eliminate or significantly reduce these payments.
The financial stakes are enormous, with analysts estimating Apple could lose $12.5 billion just from U.S. customers alone if the current payment structure changes3.
2️⃣ Apple’s decade-long AI foundation provides competitive advantage despite perception of lagging
While Apple is often perceived as behind in AI compared to Google and Microsoft, the company has been systematically building AI capabilities since 2014 when it integrated neural networks into Siri.
