According to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has formed a new team to develop an in-house app similar to ChatGPT. The team, reportedly named Answers, Knowledge, and Information, is working on what is being called an “answer engine.” This technology would be capable of providing direct answers to questions by pulling information from across the web. The report suggests this could be either a standalone application or a new set of search capabilities integrated into existing Apple products like Siri and Safari.
The new initiative is backed by significant hiring efforts. Gurman notes that Apple is posting job openings for this team, specifically seeking applicants with experience in search algorithms and engine development.
Shifting AI Strategy and Market Pressures
This move represents a potential shift in Apple’s AI strategy. While the company has already integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT into Siri, a more personalized, AI-powered update to its voice assistant has faced repeated delays. Furthermore, Apple’s long-standing search deal with Google could be affected by Google’s recent antitrust defeat, which creates pressure for Apple to find a more independent solution.
What The Author Thinks
Apple’s decision to build its own answer engine is a clear signal that the company can no longer afford to rely on partnerships in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. For years, Apple’s cautious, privacy-first approach has left it lagging behind competitors like Google and OpenAI, who have made significant strides in generative AI. By creating a dedicated team to tackle this problem, Apple is acknowledging that owning the core technology is essential for its future, not just for a better Siri, but for maintaining its ecosystem’s dominance. This is a high-stakes bet, but a necessary one to ensure the company remains a leader in the next generation of computing, rather than just a hardware provider for others’ AI.
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