Apple is currently facing challenges in launching a groundbreaking AI product, much like Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot. Although the tech giant has made efforts to revamp Siri, these initiatives have been plagued with delays, with the revamped Siri only projected to be ready by late 2026.
This uncertainty has prompted Apple to enter a temporary partnership with OpenAI, thereby integrating ChatGPT with Siri and its broader Apple Intelligence framework. However, the company is reportedly developing a transformative in-house solution—a lighter iteration of ChatGPT equipped with internet search capabilities.
Siri, But ChatGPT Lite?
According to Bloomberg, Apple’s newly established Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI) team is crafting a search framework for Siri inspired by ChatGPT. The team’s goal is to create an “answer engine”—a system capable of web crawling to efficiently respond to general knowledge inquiries.
Besides enhancing Siri, Apple aims to integrate this search functionality into Spotlight and Safari. Spotlight already saw significant upgrades with macOS Tahoe, transforming into a universal answering hub that retrieves local data and online information.
You might wonder, how does Siri, Spotlight, or Safari determine when to provide AI answers versus initiating a web search? A comparison can be drawn to Dia, a browser that fluidly transitions between “chat” and “Google” modes based on the keywords you type. For instance, typing “Birkin bag” defaults to a web search, but if you specify “where to buy a Birkin bag,” it switches to chat mode, similar to how ChatGPT or other AI engines function.
Currently, when you activate Siri and pose a question needing internet search or knowledge, Siri prompts you to agree to refer the query to ChatGPT. Once confirmed, ChatGPT takes over to furnish the needed information. However, this process lacks fluidity. A Siri equipped with web search functions and advanced natural language processing, akin to ChatGPT or Gemini, would empower users to easily pose questions and receive precise answers. At present, Siri appears outdated, especially against competitors like Google’s Gemini Live.
Interestingly, Gemini may even function better on iPhones than Siri does. With Apple’s ongoing setbacks in developing a sophisticated AI like ChatGPT or Gemini, and a noteworthy exodus of top AI talent, the company’s ambitions for an AI-enhanced Siri seem increasingly doubtful.
More Than Just a Phone Assistant
Crafting a state-of-the-art virtual assistant like Google Assistant’s Gemini or Microsoft’s Copilot is not Apple’s only area of concern. The broader tech landscape is now intensely focused on integrating AI into web browsing. AI-driven workflows are being hailed as the next frontier. In a recent interview, Perplexity’s co-founder Aravind Srinivas emphasized that browsers might serve AI functions more effectively than traditional chatbots, stating:
“You gain full transparency and control, allowing you to intervene if it takes an unwanted turn. This fosters trust in an environment we are accustomed to for decades, which is the browser.”
Apple is significantly trailing in the browser wars. With the introduction of AI Mode in search and the extensive integration of Gemini into its Workspace ecosystem, Google has drastically transformed the landscape of web browsing and web workflows.
Safari urgently needs an AI upgrade.
Upstart browsers like Dia and Perplexity’s Comet are demonstrating that the era of traditional browser extensions is fading. Just last week, Microsoft rolled out Copilot Mode in Edge, which I found to be a revolutionary and practical shift in browser capabilities.
In stark contrast, Safari is missing out on the AI-driven experiences offered by competitors. From context-aware sidebars to multi-tab contextual actions, the conveniences AI is introducing into modern browsers are markedly absent in Safari. Should Apple succeed in building an answer engine like ChatGPT, they would face the colossal task of developing meaningful features around it in Safari.
Apple must not only create an answer engine but also closely monitor the competition. The company is capable of adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of AI agents and browsers. As CEO Tim Cook hinted in a recent all-staff meeting, Apple “will make the investment to do it.”
Will Apple eventually acquire a leading AI lab like Perplexity or Anthropic? Only time will tell. Yet, it’s crucial that the company adopts a comprehensive approach toward AI, beyond merely focusing on creating the next top-notch AI chatbot.
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