Apple is building a new web search experience for Siri that will use its own foundation models for context and personal data while calling in external models to fetch world knowledge. Bloomberg first reported the plans and named the project World Knowledge Answers.
The change aims to let Siri summarize web results with richer content. The system will present text photo and video results in a single reply. This feature may arrive with iOS 26.4 in early 2026 if the timeline holds.
How it works
The report says Siri will use three parts to handle queries. A planner will decide if the request needs local device data a web search or both. A search operator will gather information from apps local files and the web. A summarizer will stitch findings into a short answer. Bloomberg describes this triad as planner search and summarizer.
Apple will run the planner and other personal data work on its own models. That keeps private information on Apple devices or inside Apple controlled private cloud systems. For web content Apple is said to be testing a custom version of Google Gemini running in a private compute setup. That will provide broad world knowledge for summaries.
Apple may call the system World Knowledge Answers when it ships. The feature will not replace existing search engines but will add an AI driven summary layer to Siri and possibly Spotlight later on.
Privacy and partners
Apple will keep work involving personal apps and user data inside Apple controlled systems. The company aims to use Private Cloud Compute so third party models can run without storing or training on user data. The reported plan would let Apple use partner models while enforcing privacy rules.
Google and Apple have a long history of deals for web search on Apple devices. That relationship may have smoothed early testing of Gemini like models for the new Siri feature. Observers note that Apple still pays Google to be the default search engine. The recent court rulings and industry changes may affect how such partnerships evolve but they do not prevent testing today.
Apple is also evaluating other models. Bloomberg reported that Anthropic was among the labs Apple considered for certain tasks. The goal is to combine Apple owned foundation models with best available external models when needed.
Why this matters
If Apple ships a reliable web summarizer inside Siri it could change how users search on iPhone and iPad. Short answers that combine device context and web data could reduce the need to jump between apps. The move follows broader industry trends where voice and AI overlays sit on top of search and web content.
Apple has delayed some Apple Intelligence features in the past while it worked on safety and quality. The company is taking a careful route to integrate AI with privacy and device context. The new plan shows Apple trying to balance control safety and performance while using partner tech when it helps.
Apple’s reported plan keeps personal context inside Apple systems while letting outside models help fill gaps in world knowledge. The approach aims to keep privacy and get better answers. Watch for official announcements from Apple and for test features in developer betas as the company refines the technology.