Apple Considers AI for Safari as Google Faces Antitrust Pressure

Apple is exploring how artificial intelligence could change the way we search online, especially through its Safari browser. During a recent testimony in Washington related to Google’s ongoing antitrust trial, Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior VP of Services, shared that the tech giant is seriously looking into adding AI-powered search tools to Safari. While AI search isn’t quite ready yet, Apple has already had early talks with companies like OpenAI, Perplexity, and Anthropic.

Cue pointed out something unusual: the number of Google searches done through Safari actually dropped for the first time ever this year. Safari has been around since 2003, so this kind of shift is a big deal. According to Cue, this dip reflects how quickly users are turning to AI-driven search tools, even though they’re still in early stages.

Even though Apple already has a partnership with OpenAI, the company isn’t locking itself in. Cue emphasized that Apple wants to stay flexible in case another AI company rises to the top. It's all about keeping options open.

Cue’s comments didn’t just cause a stir in the courtroom. After the news broke, both Apple and Google’s parent company, Alphabet, saw their stock prices fall, Apple’s by about 2% and Alphabet’s by around 8%.

Apple’s role in this trial is especially important because of its financial ties to Google. Right now, Google pays Apple nearly $20 billion a year to stay the default search engine on Safari. In return, Apple gets a cut of the ad revenue from those searches. Cue admitted during his testimony that the possibility of losing that revenue has kept him up at night.

This trial is part of a larger legal battle that began in 2020 when the U.S. Department of Justice accused Google of using illegal methods to keep its dominance in search and search advertising. One of the key issues is whether deals like the one Google made with Apple amount to unfair competition.

While the court already ruled against Google last year, the current proceedings are focused on deciding what consequences the company should face. Meanwhile, Google is also fighting a separate lawsuit over its dominance in digital advertising. In that case, it’s already been found guilty on two out of three charges.

As AI continues to reshape how we interact with technology, big players like Apple are trying to stay ahead of the curve. Whether or not Safari gets an AI-powered upgrade soon, one thing’s clear, the search engine game is changing fast.