Apple Wants to Fix Siri and Build a Smarter AI Search Tool
Apple is slowly but surely stepping up its AI game. While Google and Microsoft have already raced ahead with smart search tools and AI assistants, Apple is now working behind the scenes to catch up.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has formed a new internal unit called AKI, short for Answers, Knowledge, and Information. This new team is reportedly building a ChatGPT-like search experience that will eventually work alongside or within Apple’s existing tools, including Siri.
A Team Built to Give Answers, Not Links
The AKI team is headed by Robby Walker, a senior director who now reports directly to John Giannandrea, Apple’s Senior VP of Machine Learning and AI. Robby was moved to this role after delays in Siri feature development.
This team is working on what Gurman calls an “answer engine” — a smart system designed to crawl web content and provide direct answers instead of simply linking to search results. It’s a major shift from how Siri and Spotlight search currently operate.
Apple May Be Planning a Standalone AI Search App
Though details are still under wraps, Apple has already posted job listings for engineers in this area. Some of these listings hint at backend development, search engine algorithms, and AI infrastructure.
This means Apple could be developing a dedicated app to deliver this new experience — one that doesn’t rely on traditional search but uses AI to generate responses more naturally, much like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity.
Siri’s Upgrade Timeline Still Long
Siri’s next big AI upgrade is still expected in spring 2026. The company is aware that its current AI offerings, including Apple Intelligence, haven’t impressed everyone. So, the AKI initiative might be Cupertino’s way of accelerating improvements.
Once mature, the AKI project may become an integral part of Apple’s ecosystem — not just Siri, but also Spotlight, Safari, and possibly Apple’s own search platform.
Apple’s Position in AI Race
Apple’s slow pace in AI innovation has been noticeable. But the formation of the AKI team suggests that it’s not staying idle anymore. Instead of trying to dominate search like Google, Apple appears focused on privacy-respecting AI that enhances user experience across its platforms.
The real test will be how quickly and effectively the company can turn this idea into a working product. And whether it can match the performance of already popular AI platforms.
If done right, AKI could become the foundation of a search experience built into iPhones, iPads, and Macs — one that’s fast, private, and intelligent.
