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🤖 Apple is working on its own take of ChatGPT for Apple Intelligence
🧑💻 The company has reportedly formed a new team to create a “stripped-down” version of ChatGPT
📲 The new feature could tie into other Apple Intelligence experiences for a better search experience
🤷 It’s unclear when the feature will be ready
📅 The next big Apple Intelligence update is expected to roll out next year
Apple is hard at work rectifying its Apple Intelligence mishaps in the background, and one way the company is rumored to enhance its AI capabilities is by introducing a new ChatGPT-like feature. A report from Bloomberg says that Apple is developing a “stripped-down” version of the popular AI chatbot designed to be more like a search engine than anything else. The company has reportedly formed a new team led by a former head of Siri to create it.
Called "Answers, Knowledge and Information,” the team was formed earlier this year to get to work on a ChatGPT-like search experience. It won’t be quite as powerful as OpenAI’s chatbot, but it will reportedly be able to crawl the web to pull information and surface search results. Apple seems interested in making it similar to a traditional search engine, given that it has job openings for folks familiar with search algorithms and search engine development.
Apple Intelligence’s new search capabilities could be shipped as a standalone app, according to Bloomberg. However, there’s also a chance Apple will take the features the AKI team develops and integrates them into other aspects of its software, such as Spotlight and Safari. It’s expected to at least be interested into Siri, which is long overdue for a huge Apple Intelligence-infused update.
The big question now is when this rival to ChatGPT will ship, and whether Apple will drop support for ChatGPT itself in its software. Right now, the company is leaning on OpenAI’s GPT model to deliver more powerful AI features than Apple’s own technology can handle, following a publicity nightmare that saw Siri’s big AI upgrade delayed and new Apple Intelligence features pushed back altogether. Apple’s iOS 26 update is practically void of any meaningful AI advancements, indicating the company needs more time to get them right before they roll out to the public.
Right now, it’s unclear when the ChatGPT rival could ship. Apple is expected to release some sort of Apple Intelligence update in 2026, with a more robust and capable version of Siri in tow. We’ll track this story and let you know of any updates.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.
