August 4, 2025 — In a strategic move to strengthen its position in the competitive artificial intelligence (AI) landscape, Apple has reportedly formed a new internal team named Answers, Knowledge, and Information (AKI). According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the team is working on developing an advanced “answer engine” powered by web data, alongside a standalone AI app similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The AKI initiative is seen as Apple’s most aggressive push yet into the field of generative AI. The team’s core mission involves creating AI tools capable of delivering detailed, contextual answers using real-time internet data. The new system is expected to be integrated into Apple’s key services such as Siri, Spotlight, and Safari, enabling more intelligent and responsive user interactions.
Industry insiders suggest that the answer engine being developed could dramatically enhance how Apple devices process and deliver information. It would also mark a major upgrade to Siri, which has long faced criticism for being less advanced than competing voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant.
In addition to improving existing services, Apple is also working on a standalone AI chatbot application, modeled after services like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot. This new app could be released in a future iOS update—potentially iOS 18.4 or later—signaling Apple’s intent to enter the market of consumer-facing AI tools directly.
The AKI team’s developments align with Apple’s broader AI strategy, introduced earlier this year under the umbrella term Apple Intelligence. These features, which began rolling out with iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, focus on using AI to improve user productivity, communication, and app functionality. However, the formation of a dedicated team for answer generation suggests a more focused effort on creating robust, web-based AI tools.
Privacy is expected to remain a cornerstone of Apple’s AI efforts. Reports suggest that Apple’s AI systems will emphasize on-device processing to minimize data sharing and enhance user security—an approach that differentiates Apple from competitors that rely heavily on cloud-based AI models.
The company has not officially commented on the AKI team’s projects, but analysts view the move as a response to growing competition in the AI space. With Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI rapidly evolving their AI offerings, Apple’s investment in a sophisticated, ChatGPT-style tool reflects both market demand and internal urgency.
As Apple gears up to introduce these tools in upcoming software updates, the success of the AKI project will likely play a crucial role in determining how well the company adapts to the next generation of AI-powered consumer technology.
