CIOTech Outlook Team | Monday, 04 August 2025, 09:01 IST
According to reports, Apple is moving in a generative AI search direction by creating a new team "Answers Knowledge and Information" (AKI), with a goal of delivering ChatGPT-like "answer engine". In that vision, Apple is aiming to deliver smarter answers into Safari, Siri, Spotlight, and possibly create an entry point for a stand-alone AI chatbot app.
Under the guidance of Robby Walker, ex-head of Siri, AKI will build a search infrastructure that not only can crawl the web but deliver accurate, conversational answers in response to queries. This infrastructure will serve as the basis for any AI-enabled capabilities in the future across multiple applications.
Also Read: Microsoft in Talks to Secure Continued Access to OpenAI Tech
This begins a new strategic pathway for Apple, which previously denied that it had any ambitions to pursue chatbots. After Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly confirmed an aggressive AI investment strategy , pointing to future spin-off acquisitions like Perplexity, Apple is rerouting its AI planning so that it can bridge the innovation gap with OpenAI and Google.
Apple’s larger strategy, branded Apple Intelligence, includes both on-device foundation models, as well as server-based, optional access to a model like GPT-4o. The main thrust of its strategy is privacy-controlled, account-integrated AI to supercharge writing tools, search, Siri, and applications.
The integration of ChatGPT as a creative assistant remains optional and may even be anonymized.
Analysts contend that Apple will release an entirely redesigned AI-powered Siri by 2026 with the concurrent release of iOS 19. Apple analysts maintain that delays on current upgrades and underperformance of Siri have heightened urgency around AKI's roadmapping.
.jpg)
