Apple changes AI course: New team for smart search services

Apple is launching a new attempt in the AI race. After a rather cautious start with Apple Intelligence, the company is now actively moving toward generative AI. According to Mark Gurman's recent "Power On" newsletter, Apple has created a new internal team working on its own AI search solution. The goal is to develop a technology that can compete with ChatGPT and similar models—a surprising but understandable change of direction.

Until now, Apple has been known for its cautious stance on AI chatbots. The official line was that it didn't want to build its own chatbots. At the same time, the launch of Apple Intelligence was rather disappointing: Features like Genmoji and the automatic summarization of notifications were not well received. The announced new version of Siri hasn't yet made its way to devices either—its launch has been postponed several times. However, something bigger was already being worked on in the background.

A new team with a clear focus

At the beginning of the year, Apple formed an internal team called "Answers, Knowledge and Information" (AKI for short). This team is developing its own form of AI search – with the long-term goal of providing a ChatGPT-like user experience within the Apple ecosystem. The group is investigating various internal AI services to intelligently design answers, knowledge queries, and information access. The new team is led by Robby Walker, a former Siri manager who has been critical of Siri's development in the past. In an internal presentation, Walker called the delays surrounding Siri "ugly and embarrassing." His appointment as head of the AKI team suggests that Apple is making a fresh start here – with a clear focus on results.

Background: Apple Intelligence with weak start

Previous efforts in the field of generative AI were called Apple Intelligence. New features such as Genmoji, the ability to automatically summarize text, and intelligent notification prioritization were introduced. However, the response was rather muted. Particularly striking was the renewed delay in the launch of the new version of Siri. The features originally planned for this year have been postponed by over a year. In this context, the establishment of a new AI team seems like a necessary step.

Contact with external AI startups

Even before the AKI team was formed, Apple had expressed interest in collaborating with external AI startups. Perplexity, in particular, was discussed internally. Perplexity specializes in AI-powered search technologies—precisely the area in which Apple is now driving its own developments. The strategic direction is thus clear. Apple wants an AI search solution that is developed internally but can benefit from external expertise.

What to expect from Apple now

The AKI team's initiative is still in its early stages, and immediate results are not expected. Nevertheless, the team's founding sends a clear signal. Apple is preparing to play a serious role in AI search. This new development fits into an overarching strategy. The long-term goal is to create an intelligent, privacy-compliant AI solution that is deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem—a counter-model to open platforms like ChatGPT or Google Gemini.

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Apple's change of course in AI strategy

With the new "Answers" team, Apple is embarking on a new path in its AI strategy. The previous strategy—no in-house chatbots—is being quietly abandoned. Instead, the company is now focusing on targeted internal development, supplemented by occasional partnerships with specialized startups. Robby Walker's leadership demonstrates that Apple is serious about its approach and is no longer taking a half-hearted approach. Even though there's still a long way to go, one thing is clear: Apple is repositioning itself—with a focus on AI search that meets its own standards. (Image: Shutterstock / Dontree_M)