Apple’s senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue, disclosed during the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust trial against Google that searches conducted via Safari have declined for the first time in over two decades, attributing the drop to users increasingly turning to AI tools like ChatGPT. This revelation contributed to an 8% decline in Google’s stock, reflecting investor concerns about the potential erosion of Google’s search dominance.
Google countered the claim, asserting that overall search volumes continue to rise across Apple platforms, though it did not specifically address Safari. Analysts suggest this could indicate a shift in user behavior, with searches migrating from Safari to other entry points like the Google app or Chrome on iPhones.
The testimony comes amid scrutiny of the $20 billion annual agreement between Apple and Google, wherein Google pays Apple to remain the default search engine on its devices. Some speculate that Cue’s comments aim to portray Google as less dominant, potentially safeguarding this lucrative deal from antitrust repercussions.
In response to the evolving search landscape, Apple is exploring partnerships with AI providers, including OpenAI and Google, to integrate AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini into its devices. The company is also enhancing its Siri digital assistant with AI capabilities, aiming to handle tasks such as writing emails and interacting with messages more effectively.
