Apple reportedly developing AI-powered web search for Siri, targeting 2026 launch

Apple is poised to transform its digital assistant, Siri, with an innovative AI-driven web search tool, as revealed in a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Dubbed World Knowledge Answers, this feature aims to compete with established players like OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity, with an expected rollout in the spring of 2026 as part of iOS 26.4. This new capability is designed to merge web crawling, search functions, and advanced language models to provide real-time answers sourced from the internet. Moreover, Apple is reportedly contemplating extending this functionality to its Safari browser and Spotlight search on Mac in future updates. In a significant development, Apple has recently formalized an agreement with Google to experiment with a Google-developed AI model to enhance Siri's functionalities. This news comes on the heels of a U.S. court ruling that permits Apple to maintain its existing partnership with Google, which secures Google as the default search engine on iPhones. The upcoming search interface will not only deliver responses through text but will also incorporate images, videos, and localized information, complemented by AI-generated summaries for more extensive results. This initiative represents just one facet of a broader overhaul of Siri, which will also introduce: - Enhanced contextual awareness to interpret and act on users' personal data. - On-screen comprehension, allowing Siri to engage with the content displayed to users. - Improved app control through 'intents,' enabling Siri to perform tasks within various applications. Furthermore, Apple is gearing up to unveil additional AI features in later updates, including a revamped Siri interface, wellness tools available through a subscription model, and more interactive, conversational capabilities for Siri on smart home devices. This strategic move comes as Apple faces intensified competition from AI-driven products like ChatGPT and Perplexity, which are redefining online search behaviors.