Apple Consolidates Efforts in Artificial Intelligence with a Potential Challenger to Google's Dominance
Apple is venturing into a new AI project, named AKI (Answers, Knowledge, and Information), with the ambitious goal of creating a smart, conversational "answer engine" that rivals Google Search, ChatGPT, and other generative AI platforms. The project, led by Robby Walker, a veteran of Apple's Siri team, is not about building another Google, but rather about redefining what search means for the individual user.
The AKI team is comprised of over 150 AI specialists, recruited from top companies and academia, with a mission to build an AI-powered search and answer engine that provides fast, exact answers, moving beyond traditional keyword search methods. Apple aims to leverage its ecosystem strengths, processing user data such as emails, messages, and app content entirely on-device, to offer personalized but privacy-preserving results.
The AKI project is expected to roll out major updates in iOS 27 and as part of a broader Siri reboot in 2026. The AI being developed is not just for Siri, but it is intended to be integrated across the Apple ecosystem in Spotlight, Safari, Mail, Messages, Calendar, and possibly as a standalone app.
One of the key advantages of Apple's AKI is its potential for contextual understanding. With system-level access to apps like Notes, Calendar, Mail, and Photos, Apple could offer answers that combine public knowledge with private context, setting it apart from competitors. This could give Apple an edge in competing with Google in search.
Privacy is at the heart of Apple's AKI project. The AI is designed to understand and explain information clearly, tailoring responses to the user's personal context, while staying within Apple's strict privacy guardrails. Most interactions with AKI will stay on the user's device or be encrypted in transit, setting Apple apart from companies like Google that monetize search through ads and data collection.
Apple's pitch for AKI is simple: "We don't know who you are, and that's the point." Instead of needing to Google specific information, users could ask Siri or Spotlight and receive personalized responses based on their usual preferences and context. This hyper-personalized search experience is expected to integrate deeply with Apple services like Siri, Spotlight, and Safari.
The formation of the AKI team signals a long-term ambition: Apple wants to own the brain behind the interface, aiming to be the trusted source of answers across a user's digital life. This initiative aligns with Apple’s broader AI ambitions and investment in infrastructure, supported by strong financial results and a $500 billion U.S. investment plan including AI-focused data centers.
In the future, the AKI project could eliminate the need for Apple to pay Google billions annually for default search engine rights in Safari, and create substantial new advertising revenue opportunities, estimated at up to $15 billion if market share is achieved. However, the project's success will depend on Apple's ability to deliver on its promise of a privacy-first, hyper-personalized search experience that truly redefines what search means for the individual user.
[1] Statt, Nick. (2022, October 26). Apple is building its own AI-powered search engine to challenge Google. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/26/23458185/apple-search-engine-ai-aki-robbie-walker-siri
[2] Stein, Jon. (2022, October 26). Apple's new AI search project could be its most ambitious yet. CNET. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/apples-new-ai-search-project-could-be-its-most-ambitious-yet/
[3] Arseneault, Ryan. (2022, October 26). Apple's AKI project: What we know so far. TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/26/apples-aki-project-what-we-know-so-far/
[4] Weiss, Alex. (2022, October 26). Apple's AI project AKI could be a game changer. MacRumors. https://www.macrumors.com/2022/10/26/apples-aki-project-could-be-a-game-changer/
- Apple's AKI project, led by Robby Walker, is aimed at developing an AI-powered search and answer engine that not only rivals existing generative AI platforms like Google Search and ChatGPT, but also integrates across the Apple ecosystem, leveraging technology to provide personalized, privacy-preserving results.
- One of the unique selling points of Apple's AKI is its potential for contextual understanding, as it could offer answers that combine public knowledge with private context, given its system-level access to various Apple apps, setting it apart from competitors in the realm of artificial intelligence.
