Apple Eyes AI-Driven Safari Overhaul Amid Drop in Search Usage

Highlights

Apple plans to integrate AI-powered search in Safari following a decline in user searches and rising interest in generative AI tools.

Apple is planning a significant update to its Safari browser—one that could change how users search the web. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the tech giant is working on incorporating AI-powered search capabilities into Safari, a move that comes in response to a dip in search usage through the browser reported in April 2025.

This development arrives as Apple continues to roll out its long-promised Apple Intelligence features, many of which were announced at WWDC 2024 but are still pending release. With WWDC 2025 just weeks away, the company seems eager to catch up, starting with Safari.

Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, confirmed the company’s intention to revamp Safari during his recent testimony in the US Justice Department’s antitrust case against Google. The case is focused on Google’s $20 billion deal that makes it the default search engine on Apple devices—a deal that’s under increased scrutiny.

Cue’s testimony revealed that April 2025 marked the first noticeable decline in Safari searches, which he attributed to users shifting toward generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. These tools offer more conversational, responsive ways to get information—features that traditional search engines struggle to match.

“It’s clear users are turning to AI for answers,” Cue noted. To adapt, Apple is preparing to add these AI platforms to Safari as alternative search options, allowing users to bypass traditional engines like Google. Though these AI-based tools won’t become the default search engine anytime soon, Apple intends to give users the freedom to choose.

Apple has already partnered with OpenAI to enhance Siri’s performance using ChatGPT, reportedly at no cost to Apple. In exchange, OpenAI gains significant visibility on Apple devices—a move that could convert some users into paying ChatGPT subscribers. Cue also revealed that Apple has opened discussions with Perplexity to explore similar integrations.

While these AI platforms are still developing, particularly in improving their indexing capabilities, Cue believes their growing functionality is already enough to draw users away from older search models. “These tools are improving fast,” he said, adding that as large language models evolve, user behavior will naturally shift toward more interactive and intelligent search solutions.

Still, Cue made it clear that despite Apple’s new direction, he currently supports keeping Google as Safari’s default search engine, mainly because of the substantial revenue it brings in. “I lose sleep over the money we’d lose without Google,” he admitted, highlighting the financial stakes involved. That deal now includes Google Lens integration with Apple’s Visual Intelligence suite, deepening the two tech giants' intertwined strategies.

In the coming months, Apple users can expect new search options within Safari, giving them access to AI-driven tools that promise faster, smarter, and more relevant answers—perhaps signaling the beginning of the end for traditional keyword-based search.