Siri’s new search interface will reportedly support text, images, videos, and “local points of interest”.
Apple is reportedly rebuilding Siri with a planner, a search system, and a summariser
Apple is reportedly planning to build an artificial intelligence (AI) web search tool for Siri. As per the report, the Cupertino-based tech giant's plans to revamp its voice assistant include adding a new AI-powered system that can scan and retrieve information from the web, and present it conversationally, similar to ChatGPT or Perplexity. Apple is reportedly calling this system World Knowledge Answers, and plans to let Google and Anthropic develop specific parts of the system. This version of Siri could reportedly be released in March 2026 with iOS 26.4 update.
Bloomberg reports that Apple is working on a new system to overhaul Siri, which makes use of an AI-powered web search tool. Citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, the report claimed that the iPhone maker eventually wants to integrate the technology into its Safari web browser and Spotlight.
It should be noted that currently, Siri (or Spotlight for that matter) can already browse the Internet and find answers for basic and straightforward questions. Apple's World Knowledge System is more focused towards letting users find responses to more complex queries and conversationally presenting them. This system was first reported in August.
The report also states that this new system for Siri will include three components. First is a planner that will process and analyse the input query and trigger a web search. The second is the AI-powered web search tool, which will scan and retrieve relevant information, and the third is a summariser that converts the information into an answer.
Apple's new search experience is said to feature text, photos, videos, as well as “local points of interest”. It will reportedly also summarise larger queries into small and digestible formats.
While the core web search system is said to run on Apple's Foundation Models, the tech giant is reportedly considering using a Google-developed AI model to power the summariser part of the system.
As per the report, the two companies reached an agreement this week, under which the iPhone maker will test and evaluate a custom Gemini model. This model will exclusively run on the company's Private Cloud Compute servers.
Google could reportedly also provide an AI model for the planner function; however, Anthropic is also in contention. The report mentioned that initially Anthropic was in the lead for this deal, but the AI firm demanded more than $1.5 billion (roughly Rs. 13,200 crore) a year for the technology, pushing Apple away.
Earlier, the tech giant considered acquiring Perplexity for its answer engine technology; it has been reported that Apple is no longer planning to make a bid. The iPhone maker's planned technology will instead compete with Perplexity and other chatbots with integrated web search functionality.
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