Apple may be preparing to make a major move in artificial intelligence with a brand-new search tool. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company is reportedly developing an AI-powered web search engine—possibly with help from Google—that could debut as early as next year.
“World Knowledge Answers” in the Works
Gurman, who has a solid track record with Apple news, says the project is internally called World Knowledge Answers and would be integrated into an upgraded version of Siri. The feature is expected to function similarly to ChatGPT’s search capabilities or Google’s AI-powered search mode.
Users would be able to ask Siri complex questions and get detailed answers in real time, with the system using text, images, videos, and local points of interest to generate richer and more accurate responses.
Google’s Role in Apple’s AI Plans
Interestingly, Gurman reports that Apple has reached an agreement with Google to test one of its AI models for this search engine. This could be the same technology behind Google’s Gemini AI, which Apple has reportedly considered using within its Apple Intelligence platform.
If accurate, this would mark another major collaboration between the two companies, who already have a long-standing deal for Google to remain the default search engine on Apple devices.
Launch Timeline and Expectations
Apple is aiming to roll out World Knowledge Answers in spring 2026, though Gurman notes that plans could change before the final release. The system is expected to include AI-powered summarization to make search results easier to digest—something Siri has long been criticized for lacking.
Big Week Ahead for Apple
This news comes as Apple gears up for its biggest event of the year, where the company is set to unveil the iPhone 17 on September 9. While the AI-powered search tool isn’t expected to debut at the event, Apple could still offer a glimpse of its broader AI ambitions.
With the growing popularity of generative AI tools, Apple’s rumored search engine could be its chance to finally catch up—and perhaps even surpass—its rivals in the AI space.
