Apple is reportedly planning to integrate AI-powered search options from providers like OpenAI and Perplexity AI into its Safari browser, according to testimony from Apple executive Eddy Cue during an antitrust case against Google. This development could reduce Google's dominant position as the default search engine on Apple devices, a position for which Google currently pays Apple an estimated $20 billion annually. Cue also noted a recent decline in Safari searches, partially attributed to users shifting to AI search services.
If Apple adds AI search providers to Safari, Google’s default placement on iPhone traffic gets less secure right away. That matters because Google’s Safari deal is worth roughly $20 billion a year and sits alongside the search ads that depend on Apple devices. The broader shift is already visible in Cue’s testimony: Safari searches fell last month as users moved to AI, while Google is trying to defend with AI Mode, AI Overviews, and a possible Gemini deal with Apple. Watch for any filing or testimony that clarifies whether Apple actually changes Safari’s search defaults or just adds new options.
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