Overview

• Apple SVP Eddy Cue revealed plans to add AI search providers like OpenAI, Perplexity, and Anthropic to Safari, though they are unlikely to become the default search option initially.
• Cue attributed the first recorded decline in Safari searches last month to users increasingly turning to AI-powered alternatives for information discovery.
• The disclosure came during Cue's testimony in the DOJ's antitrust case against Google, which challenges the $20 billion annual deal making Google the default Safari search engine.
• Alphabet shares plummeted by 8% following the announcement, reflecting investor concerns over potential disruptions to Google's search advertising dominance.
• Apple's move signals a broader shift toward AI-driven search technologies, with Cue predicting that AI could eventually replace traditional search engines like Google.