Apple plans to launch its own AI-powered web search tool for Siri

Apple is planning to launch its own artificial intelligence-powered web search tool next year, stepping up competition with OpenAI and Perplexity.
Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
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The company is working on a new system — dubbed internally as World Knowledge Answers — that will be integrated into the Siri voice assistant, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Apple has discussed also eventually adding the technology to its Safari web browser and Spotlight, which is used to search from the iPhone home screen.
Apple is aiming to release the service, described by some executives as an “answer engine,” in the spring as part of a long-delayed overhaul to Siri, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans haven’t been announced.
The idea is to make Siri and Apple’s operating systems a place where users can look up information from across the internet — in a similar fashion to ChatGPT, AI Overviews in Google Search, and a crop of new apps. The approach will rely on large language models, or LLMs, a key technology underpinning generative AI.
The underlying technology enabling the new Siri could come in part from Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Apple’s longtime partner in internet search. The companies reached a formal agreement this week for Apple to evaluate and test a Google-developed AI model to help power the voice assistant, the people said.
Apple’s new search experience will include an interface that makes use of text, photos, video, and local points of interest, according to the people…
The new Siri and search changes are currently slated for an upcoming software update known internally as Luck E. That corresponds to iOS 26.4, which is scheduled for release as early as March.

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MacDailyNews Take: if so, iOS 26.4 will be a very major release!

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