After more than 20 years, Google searches through Apple’s Safari browser have gone down.
That’s according to Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior VP of Services, who brought it up during Google’s antitrust trial.
So, what’s causing the dip?
AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Microsoft’s Copilot are changing the game. People are starting to use these tools to find answers instead of turning to Google. It’s happening enough that Apple’s reportedly thinking about building some of these AI tools right into Safari—not replacing Google just yet, but still, that’s a big move.
And there’s money on the line, too.
Google pays Apple around $20 billion a year to be Safari’s default search engine. If searches keep dropping, that deal could start to look a lot less attractive.
Investors took notice.
Alphabet’s stock fell more than 9% after the news broke. With AI platforms gaining traction, there’s real concern that Google could lose its grip on search dominance.
As AI keeps evolving, how we find and use info online, Google and other search engines might need to rethink how they stay relevant.
