Apple VP Eddie Cue Reveals Historic Shift in Safari Search Usage Due to AI
Eddie Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, made waves recently during the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust trial against Google. He revealed something unprecedented in Apple’s 22-year history: a decline in Google search traffic on the Safari browser for the first time ever.
The AI Effect Changing Internet Search
According to Cue, this drop is directly linked to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. More users on iPhones and iPads are turning away from traditional Google keyword searches and instead relying on AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and others for their queries.
Cue called this shift “a fundamental change” that is eroding Google’s long-standing dominance in internet search.
Google’s Response and Market Impact
Google reacted swiftly as its parent company Alphabet’s stock dropped 7.3%. Google issued a statement highlighting “overall growth in search queries” without addressing the Safari decline directly. They emphasized new features such as voice search and Google Lens instead.
Analysts suggest Google’s response may be technically accurate but misleading, attempting to downplay the significance of the Safari search drop by focusing on aggregate query numbers rather than user satisfaction or platform-specific data.
Apple’s Bold Future Plans
Cue disclosed that Apple is actively exploring a major overhaul of Safari, focusing on integrating AI-powered search engines. They are evaluating top AI providers including OpenAI (ChatGPT), Perplexity AI, Anthropic (Claude), China’s DeepSeek, and Elon Musk’s Grok.
While Apple may add these AI search options, Cue noted they might not become the default immediately, as the technology still needs refinement.
Economic Considerations: The Google Deal
Despite enthusiasm for AI, Cue admitted he is losing sleep over potentially losing Apple’s lucrative deal with Google, estimated at $19-20 billion annually. This agreement remains Apple’s most financially beneficial partnership, making it a key factor in deciding default search engines on Safari.
Conclusion
Apple stands at a historic crossroads, balancing the economic benefits of its Google partnership against the revolutionary impact AI is having on user behavior. The coming months could redefine how millions search the web on Apple devices.
