Sources: Apple plans AI web search, World Knowledge Answers, for a spring 2026 Siri revamp; Apple and Google this week agreed to test a Gemini model for Siri

Apple Inc. is planning to launch its own artificial intelligence-powered web search tool next year, stepping up competition with OpenAI and Perplexity AI Inc.

Bloomberg 2025-09-04 Mark Gurman

Context & Ripple Effects

Apple had already been building its own search infrastructure: the earlier Pegasus search effort was used across Apple apps, Spotlight and Siri. This report places that work inside a broader Siri redesign rather than treating search as a standalone product.

The Google test anticipated a deeper model partnership later described as a multiyear Gemini arrangement for personalized Siri. The significance is that Apple can pair an external foundation model with its own interface, search layer and device distribution.

First-order effects

Apple’s Siri roadmap gains an AI answer experience intended to retrieve and synthesize web information, while Google begins testing Gemini as a potential underlying model.
OpenAI and Perplexity face a new prospective answer-engine competitor embedded in Apple’s Siri experience.

Second-order effects

Google’s role shifts from a traditional search partner to a potential AI-model supplier for Siri, giving it a route into Apple’s assistant while Apple retains control of the user-facing product.
Answer-engine competitors will have to compete not only on model quality but on access to default assistant surfaces and the personal context those surfaces can provide.

Third-order effects

If Apple keeps combining third-party models with proprietary search and assistant layers, AI competition may increasingly separate model suppliers from the companies that own consumer distribution.
As synthesized answers become a larger discovery path, publishers’ leverage will increasingly depend on the terms under which answer engines access, cite and route traffic to their content.

The trend: This is part of the shift from link-based search toward assistant-led answer engines, where distribution owners can mix external models with proprietary retrieval and interface layers.

Discussion

@divestech Dan Ives on x
We believe a Google and Apple Gemini focused partnership is the natural next step on AI @CNBCClosingBell 🏆🔥🐂🎯
@rjonesy Ryan Jones on x
😳 AI and Search. Right in Apple's wheelhouse. But also, Google powering Siri is brilliant and smart. Battle the new-comers together, and don't accelerate their takeover.
@maxwinebach Max Weinbach on x
If Apple wants an acquisition for AI, I'm telling you Exa or Tavily are great ones!
@scobleizer Robert Scoble on x
@markgurman This actually is the best outcome for Apple.
@davidclinchnews David Clinch on x
Now that Google doesn't need to sell off Chrome, it's likely to launch a new AI Browser. If Google works with Apple to help build its AI-powered web search it may create an alliance capable of killing off some of the AI startups? Publishers may also prefer the Devil(s) they know?
@getpeid Carl Pei on x
Essential Search, launched July 2025 :)
@scobleizer Robert Scoble on x
Google and Apple together will be dominant in consumer AI. I don't think even Elon can stop that at this point.
@benbajarin Ben Bajarin on x
If Apple gets this right, and brings real customer value to their base and a big HW cycle next year with a foldable they could see a massive HW upswing.
@amitisinvesting Amit on x
BREAKING: Apple & Google have reached a deal to have Gemini power a new Siri platform, as per Bloomberg. Apple is now reportedly planning to launch “AI Search” inside of Siri next year. well, two of the biggest Mag 7's partnering together bullish $AAPL $GOOGL
@scobleizer Robert Scoble on x
Apple to do deal with Google for new Siri. Makes sense now that Anthropic got too expensive for even Tim Cook to buy. Gemini is a good model, especially for the kinds of things that we'd want Siri to do. And it has all my data. My question is: is Google Genie 3 part of the de…
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
BREAKING: Apple is planning an AI-powered web search tool to compete with ChatGPT and Perplexity for next year. It's also currently leaning towards working with Google to help power part of a Siri overhaul. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
@papafazuul @papafazuul on bluesky
I'm driving so I asked Siri if you can take TheraFlu at night and in the morning and it added it to my calendar. Every day I am amazed at how far AI has come. [image]
@mogabr.com Gabe Moronta on bluesky
Been hearing about a Siri upgrade for years. By the time it drops, the only shot it has at relevance is if Apple blocks ChatGPT voice, Perplexity, and every other AI chat assistant from iPhones. People don't switch once they're locked in, unless its truly groundbreaking. [embe…
@leahnylen Leah ‘AntiTrustButVerify’ Nylen on bluesky
Surprise! Company that said it would never go into search so it could keep $20B now saying it's going into search www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
@peark.es George Pearkes on bluesky
I really hope this means my phone will get extremely depressed when it inevitably fails to do what I want it to. — *APPLE PLANS AI-POWERED WEB SEARCH TOOL FOR SIRI TO RIVAL OPENAI — *APPLE, GOOGLE REACH DEAL TO EVALUATE GEMINI MODEL FOR NEW SIRI
r/singularity r on reddit
Apple plans an AI web search next year to rival ChatGPT and Perplexity, and may partner with Google on Siri's overhaul
r/apple r on reddit
Gurman : Apple Plans AI-Powered Web Search Tool for Siri to Rival OpenAI, Perplexity by spring 2026

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