Apple’s upcoming AI-backed Safari search could change your search experience forever! Here’s what you need to know.
Apple is gearing up to significantly revamp its Safari browser by introducing powerful AI-driven search features, signaling a potential disruption to Google's longstanding dominance in the search industry. This strategic shift was confirmed by Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, during his testimony on May 7, 2025, in the antitrust lawsuit involving Google's parent company, Alphabet.
Cue noted a decline in Safari search volumes for the first time in April 2025, attributing this trend to users gravitating toward generative AI alternatives like ChatGPT by OpenAI, Perplexity AI, and others. Apple's response involves adding these AI-powered platforms as search options within Safari, although they won't immediately replace Google as the default provider.
Google currently pays Apple approximately $20 billion annually to remain Safari’s default search engine—a critical partnership accounting for nearly 36% of Google's search advertising revenue through Safari. Apple's shift towards AI-powered options poses a clear risk to this lucrative arrangement.
The market reacted strongly to Apple's announcement, with Alphabet’s stock dropping 7.3%, erasing roughly $150 billion from its market value. Apple's shares saw a comparatively minor decline of about 1.1%.
Industry analysts suggest this move underscores the rapid advancement of generative AI tools and search platforms, potentially leading advertisers to rethink their allocation of budgets, currently dominated by Google.
Apple’s Eddy Cue emphasized that AI-driven search technologies might eventually replace traditional search engines altogether, marking a significant turning point in the industry’s evolution.
As the competitive landscape intensifies, Apple's strategic investment in AI search capabilities reflects broader industry trends and could significantly reshape how users interact with digital information online.
