Apple is exploring integrating AI-powered search options into its Safari browser, potentially disrupting Google's long-standing dominance. This move comes as Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, revealed a decline in Safari searches, which he attributes to the rising popularity of AI alternatives. The shift could significantly impact the $20 billion annual deal that makes Google the default search engine on Apple devices.
During testimony in the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet, Google's parent company, Cue stated that Apple is actively considering partnerships with AI search providers like OpenAI, Perplexity AI, and Anthropic. He believes AI search engines will eventually replace traditional search engines like Google. Apple has already integrated ChatGPT with Siri and plans to add Google's Gemini.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai aims to reach an agreement with Apple by mid-2025 to integrate Gemini AI into iPhones. This integration would embed Gemini AI features within Apple Intelligence. The potential deal faces regulatory scrutiny, given the dominance of both companies.