Apple wrongly believes that consumers have a limited interest in using AI chatbots
Apple does allow Siri to hand off questions it can’t answer to ChatGPT if the user agrees to this on a question-by-question basis. But the responses from ChatGPT are limited. If you rely on the Siri/ChatGPT combo to answer your questions requiring what Apple calls “world knowledge,” you might be better off installing the ChatGPT app and using it for all your queries. You’ll get more in-depth answers from the app than the responses that come from Siri/ChatGPT. In addition to ChatGPT, another app to install on your iPhone is Google’s Gemini.
Another area where AI makes a great tool is Search. Eddy Cue, Apple’s Services chief, testified in court that search via AI is where things are headed. Of course, Apple is in no hurry to replace Google, which pays Apple approximately $20 billion a year to be the default search engine on Apple devices. The DOJ might have something to say about this deal, and it is expected that the Justice Department will put the kibosh on the arrangement. This is quite worrisome for Apple as Cue says that growth in the Services unit is connected to the Apple-Google partnership.
Apple is reportedly working on developing an “answer engine” to power Siri, Spotlight, and Safari
Apple has created its own in-house team called “Answers, Knowledge and Information,” also known inside the company as AKI. This team has been given the job of finding a new search tool that delivers a similar experience to ChatGPT. Gurman writes that he has been told that the AKI team is looking through in-house AI services to help it complete its task.
“Our work fuels intuitive information experiences across some of Apple’s most iconic products, including Siri, Spotlight, Safari, Messages, Lookup, and more. Join us in shaping the future of how the world connects with information!”
-Apple ad promoting a job opening
The team is said to be developing an “answer engine” that will crawl the web to answer general knowledge queries. Apple is considering developing an individual app in addition to using the answer engine to power Siri, Spotlight, and Safari. Owners of Apple devices can’t wait to see how all of this shakes out and whether the tool Apple does create is a big improvement over Siri.
