Apple forms Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI) team for conversational search
Led by Robby Walker under AI chief John Giannandrea to build answer engine
Plans standalone app and Siri, Spotlight, Safari integration for natural-language queries
Move reduces reliance on Google default search and boosts proprietary AI search
Apple has quietly formed a specialised team called Answers, Knowledge and Information (AKI) to develop its own ChatGPT‑style “answer engine”, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter, Gurman said that AKI team will be led by Robby Walker, who formerly oversaw Siri and will report to Apple’s AI chief, John Giannandrea. The move signals Apple’s first major effort to build a homegrown conversational search experience rather than rely solely on partner integrations.
Siri Integration
AKI is reportedly exploring both a standalone “Answers” app and deeper integration into existing Apple products, namely Siri, Spotlight and Safari. The team has advertised roles seeking expertise in search algorithms and engine development, suggesting Apple plans to overhaul its backend infrastructure to support natural‑language queries and context‑aware results.
Despite integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT into Siri earlier this year, Apple Intelligence still lacks strong search capabilities. Siri today often falls back to a generic Google web search or handles only basic queries, frustrating users on voice‑only devices like HomePod.
Walker’s reassignment to lead AKI follows delays in previous Siri revamps and reflects growing internal pressure to close the gap with AI‑powered rivals.
Apple’s AI‑Search Push
Apple has never built its own search engine, in part because its longstanding default‑to‑Google deal, worth an estimated $20 billion annually, made alternatives less urgent. However, that arrangement faces potential disruption amid US antitrust scrutiny and Apple executives have publicly signalled a desire for “modern” AI‑first search.
AKI’s work could reduce Apple’s reliance on Google and protect its lucrative services revenue if default search terms change.
As the report notes, internally some Apple leaders remain sceptical of chatbot‑style interfaces, viewing them as fads. Outwardly, executives have downplayed the need for an Apple chatbot. Yet the global popularity of tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, and their proven utility for creative, research and everyday tasks, underscores the risk of ceding ground to competitors.
Apple may still pursue external partnerships, including talks with Perplexity AI, but AKI marks its strongest bet to date on building proprietary conversational search technology.
With AKI still in early stages, Apple watchers will be looking for job listings, beta apps and product announcements over the coming year. If successful, the “answer engine” could reshape how hundreds of millions of iPhone, Mac and HomePod users interact with the world’s information.
