Apple is likely to launch its AI response engine as early as March Apfelpatient

Apple plans to become more involved in the field of generative AI. Despite a relatively late entry into this technology, the company appears to have made significant progress in a short time. A new internal project called "World Knowledge Answers" (WKA) is being developed as a generative AI answering engine. The goal is to compete with providers such as ChatGPT from OpenAI and Perplexity AI. Initial results from this project could be available sooner than previously thought—possibly as early as March.

At the beginning of August, Bloomberg first reported on Apple's internal AI project. It featured a newly formed team focused on "answers, knowledge, and information." The initiative is part of a broader strategy to reimagine Siri and make it more intelligent. The team is working on an answer engine that can provide generative answers—that is, respond to questions in natural language based on large language models. Although development has only been underway for a few months, the first features are apparently ready for use soon.

New search product codenamed WKA

Internally, the project is called "World Knowledge Answers." The goal is to create a technology that provides context-relevant, complete answers to questions – similar to ChatGPT or Perplexity. Unlike previous voice assistants like Siri, these answers will be based on generative AI and no longer just on hard-coded reactions or simple database queries. According to tech reporter Mark Gurman, who regularly reports on Apple, an initial version of WKA will be available as early as March. Integration into the new version of Siri is planned. However, at launch, WKA will not be integrated into the Safari browser or Spotlight search. The function will probably be available exclusively via Siri at first.

Siri reboot with generative AI

Apple is taking the opportunity to fundamentally redesign Siri. The integration of the new answer engine is part of this relaunch. The new version of Siri is intended not only to better understand what is being asked, but also to be able to formulate answers in full sentences – supported by current language models. Its functionality is thus likely to significantly exceed what Siri has been able to achieve so far.

External AI models still in the race

Whether Apple will rely entirely on its own technology remains to be seen. The company is currently testing various options internally. In a so-called "bake-off," Apple's own AI models are being compared with those of external providers such as Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic. The goal is to determine which model is best suited for the next generation of Siri. These tests are running independently of the WKA rollout schedule—the March launch is not affected.

An early start with strategic potential

The fact that Apple isn't waiting until all components are integrated demonstrates the strategic urgency of the project. The AI market is developing rapidly, and Apple clearly wants to avoid falling further behind. Even though WKA won't appear in Safari or Spotlight at launch, the planned rollout via Siri is an important step toward gradually integrating generative AI into the Apple ecosystem.

Apple is serious about generative AI

With World Knowledge Answers, Apple is actively building its own response to the current dominance of ChatGPT and other AI systems. Development is proceeding rapidly, and the goals are clear: a new Siri with true generative intelligence that functions not just as an assistant, but as a smart knowledge service. If the schedule holds, it will become clear as early as March how seriously Apple is taking this topic—and what role its own AI products could play in the future of Apple's cosmos. (Photo by fvcksht / Bigstockphoto)