Apple, the pioneering company behind the iPhone and Mac, has missed the bus on the artificial intelligence boom, but it now seems to be trying to catch up by developing a ChatGPT-like product internally, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported Monday.
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Dubbed “Answer Engine,” the chatbot can respond to questions using information from across the web. It could be a standalone app or enhance search capabilities in Siri, Safari, and other Apple products.
Internally, the development of this ChatGPT-like bot is being led by a newly formed team reportedly called Answers, Knowledge, and Information. In fact, Apple is currently advertising job openings for this team, specifically seeking candidates with experience in search algorithms and engine development.
Apple has so far struggled to make a dent in the AI space. Though it did launch Apple Intelligence, the company itself admitted to several missteps and stated that delayed features such as the integration of ChatGPT into Siri, a more personalised, AI-powered update to the voice assistant. The AI features Apple has rolled out, including text message summaries, are basic and not every helpful.
While Apple tries to catch up with the rivals in the AI, it lost at least four prominent AI researchers to Meta’s “Superintelligence” team. The blow came in when Meta successfully lure away Apple’s head of AI division Ruoming Pang, with a compensation package reportedly valued at more than $200 million.
In a recent call with investors, Apple CEO Tim Cook has already signaled the company was “open to M&A that accelerates [Apple’s] roadmap.” Investors have been putting pressure on Apple to look at external partnerships or M&A and bring AI talent to Cupertino. Some investors are hoping that Apple should acquire AI darling Perplexity, a fast-growing AI search startup founded by Indian-origin computer scientist Arvind Srinivas to revamp Siri.
Despite a slow AI rollout, Apple continues to a big player in the Silicon Valley. The company recently posted its strongest revenue growth since 2021, reporting $94 billion in quarterly revenue and beat analyst expectations, driven by strong iPhone sales and booming services revenue. However, the market reaction was mixed, with analysts citing concerns over long-term issues including tariffs and AI.
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