Apple Building “Answer Engine” AI Chatbot to Transform Search Experience and Redefine Intelligent Search Across Its Devices
Apple is developing an in-house AI chatbot, “Answer Engine,” to rival ChatGPT and Gemini, aiming to enhance Siri and search across devices, addressing Apple Intelligence’s limitations and strengthening its AI capabilities.
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According to reports, Apple is developing its own AI-powered chatbot, internally named the "Answer Engine," to compete with AI tools such as Google's Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT. According to Bloomberg, Robby Walker, a former Siri executive, is leading a recently established internal team called "Answers, Knowledge and Information" (AKI) that is in charge of the project. The objective is to give Apple devices a more intelligent, conversation-based search experience, something the company has fallen behind in when compared to competitors.
This comes as Apple's recently unveiled Apple Intelligence platform faced criticism. For more complex tasks in Siri, it still relies on external AI models, especially from OpenAI, even though it introduces features like Genmoji and intelligent summaries to iOS. Apple intends to bridge this gap with the Answer Engine, which combines generative AI's organic, human-like responses with Siri's contextual awareness.
The Answer Engine, which is still in its early stages of development, should be able to browse the web and respond to general-knowledge queries. In upcoming iOS releases, Apple is thinking about either releasing it as a stand-alone app or incorporating it extensively into Siri, Safari, and Spotlight.
It's interesting to note that this action marks a shift in Apple's position, as the company's executives had previously expressed doubts regarding chatbot-style AI. Rising competition in the AI market and Apple Intelligence's mixed reception, particularly following delays in Siri's promised upgrades, could be the cause of the change.
Apple is testing its upcoming flagship, the iPhone 17 Pro, in San Francisco alongside this AI push, using prototypes concealed in camouflage cases. If everything goes according to plan, the new AKI-powered chatbot may be one of the upcoming device's most notable features when it launches, potentially changing how AI and search function throughout Apple's ecosystem.
Information referenced in this article is from Business Today
