My view on what’s rea
lly going on with search
In May 2025, during a major antitrust trial, Apple executive Eddy Cue made a surprising statement: Safari searches are dropping. He said fewer people are using Apple’s built-in browser to search the web.
Instead, more of us are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity AI to find answers.
It’s the first time Apple admitted this trend publicly. And it’s a big deal.
But Google fired back.
They said search volume overall is actually growing — even on Apple devices. That sounds like a contradiction, but here’s the key detail: Google didn’t mention Safari specifically. They just talked about total search traffic. That leaves the door open for both to be right:
- Safari search is going down.
- Google search overall is still going up — just in other apps like Chrome or the Google app.
Why would Apple say this now?
Here’s the part no one’s ignoring:
Apple gets more than $20 billion per year from Google to keep Google as the default search engine on its devices. That deal is under legal fire for possibly helping Google keep its monopoly in search.
So, when Eddy Cue says fewer people are using Safari search, he may be showing that Google isn’t as dominant as people think — at least on Apple’s turf.
In short:
Cue’s statement may help Apple defend the deal by showing Google doesn’t control everything.
Meanwhile, AI is changing the game
Both companies know that search is evolving fast. Users don’t want 10 links anymore — they want answers. That’s why:
- Apple is reportedly exploring ways to add AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity directly into Safari.
- Google is launching “AI Overviews” — a new way to give users summary answers powered by its Gemini model.
This battle isn’t just about search engines anymore. It’s about how we all look up information, and who controls that experience.
So, is Eddy Cue right?
- Yes, if we’re talking about Safari. AI tools and other apps are changing user habits.
- Maybe, if he’s suggesting Google’s grip on search is weakening — but only in some areas.
- Not really, if we’re measuring raw Google search traffic across all platforms — because that’s still climbing.
But one thing is clear:
The way we search is shifting fast. And Apple and Google are both racing to own the next version of it.