Apple reportedly developing AI-powered web search for Siri, targeting 2026 launch

Apple’s long-awaited Siri overhaul may include an AI-powered web search tool, designed to rival offerings from OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

The feature, internally called World Knowledge Answers, is expected to launch in spring 2026 as part of iOS 26.4. Unlike large-scale AI chatbots, it combines web crawling, search, and language models to deliver up-to-date answers from the web. Apple is reportedly considering extending the system to Safari and Spotlight on Mac in future updates.

The report adds that Apple recently reached a formal agreement with Google to test a Google-developed AI model for Siri’s upgrade. This comes the same week a U.S. judge ruled that Apple’s existing partnership with Google, which makes it the iPhone’s default search engine, could continue.

The new search interface is said to include text, images, video, and local points of interest, with AI-generated summaries for longer results. It forms just one part of a wider revamp of Siri, which will also bring:

    •    Contextual awareness to understand and act on a user’s personal information.
    •    On-screen comprehension, allowing Siri to interact with what users are viewing.
    •    Expanded app control via “intents,” enabling Siri to take actions inside apps.

Apple is also preparing additional AI features for later releases, including a redesigned Siri interface, wellness tools bundled in a subscription plan, and smarter, more conversational Siri capabilities for home devices.

The push comes as Apple faces growing competition from AI-first products like ChatGPT and Perplexity, both of which are rapidly reshaping how people search for information online.