Safari Embraces AI: Next-Gen Search Engines to Transform Browsing Experience!

Eddy Cue Testifies in U.S. Department of Justice vs. Google Trial

During a recent trial where the U.S. Department of Justice is challenging Google, Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, testified that Apple plans to keep Google as the default search engine for its Safari browser. However, Cue admitted that for the first time last month, the volume of searches conducted through Safari had decreased, according to a report by Bloomberg. He attributed this decline to the rising use of artificial intelligence-powered search engines. Cue revealed that Apple is “actively looking” into redesigning Safari to integrate these AI engines. “We will add them to the list—they probably won’t be default,” he stated, specifically mentioning Perplexity.

Why Stick With Google?

Cue openly shared his concerns about losing the partnership with Google, which the American justice system seeks to dissolve. He described this partnership as the best financial deal Apple could hope for, revealing that Apple receives 36% of the revenue from Google searches on Safari. This amounted to an impressive $20 billion in 2022 alone, which constitutes 20% of Apple’s annual profits.

Google continues to meet Apple’s high standards of quality. “Before AI, I felt that there was no other viable option,” Cue commented. “Now, I believe the potential is much greater because new players are addressing the problem differently.” He acknowledged that while AI models still need to enhance their indexing capabilities—which remain superior at Google—the involvement of significant funds and major players makes improvements inevitable. “There’s enough money now, enough big players, and I don’t see how it couldn’t happen,” he added.

The rapid advancement in technology leads Cue to speculate that AI might even make the iPhone obsolete by 2035: “You might not need an iPhone in 10 years, as crazy as that sounds,” he suggested.