Apple is working behind the scenes on a new artificial intelligence project that could rival tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
The effort is being led by a newly formed internal team called “Answers, Knowledge and Information,” or AKI. Sources familiar with the matter say the group is focused on building an AI system that can answer general questions by pulling information from the web — something Apple’s current products don’t yet offer.
The initiative is being overseen by Robby Walker, a senior Apple director who previously led development on Siri. While Apple has partnered with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT into Siri, the company has not yet created its own chatbot or search engine. Instead, it has focused on AI features like writing assistance, notification summaries, and image generation through its new Apple Intelligence platform.
Internally, some Apple leaders have reportedly been skeptical about large language model-based chatbots. But the rise of generative AI has reshaped how people search for information, with many turning to conversational tools for quick answers. Apple seems to be shifting in that direction, quietly hiring engineers with search engine and AI experience to help power the next phase of Siri, Spotlight, and Safari.
According to the report, Apple is also exploring whether the technology could work as a standalone app. While the project is still in its early days, it hints at a bigger move by Apple to reduce reliance on Google’s search engine — especially as regulators in the U.S. examine the multibillion-dollar deal that keeps Google as the default on Apple devices.
The timing comes as Apple continues to lose AI talent to competitors. The company has reportedly seen four AI researchers leave for Meta in the past month. Mark Zuckerberg’s hiring spree for AI talent is far from over.
Apple, please just make Siri actually helpful and usable. Looks like we’ll have to be patient and wait until 2026.
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We already know this, they’ve said it for years.
Once users got used to launching ChatGPT, and the others as their default AI, it would be hard for Apple to get users to switch.
Perplexity, Co-Pilot, and Gemini…
Strategic marketing. Cook is trying to raise Apple stock prices. Apple should focus on healthcare instead like they said were going to do. I guess their focus has shifted.
Apple still can't get a properly working assistant to rival the Google Assistant, so I for one don't have much hope in this being anywhere close to rival ChatGPT.