Google searches are falling in Safari for the first time ever — probably because of AI

Google searches fell successful Safari for the archetypal clip ever past month, Apple’s elder vice president of services, Eddy Cue, said during Google’s antitrust trial connected Wednesday. “That has ne'er happened successful 22 years,” Cue added.

Cue linked the dip successful searches to the increasing usage of AI, which the institution is present considering putting into Safari. The emergence of web hunt successful AI tools similar ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot whitethorn marque users little inclined to sojourn Google arsenic their superior mode of uncovering information.

Google presently pays Apple astir $20 cardinal to marque its hunt motor the default successful Safari, and a alteration successful searches could mean little wealth for Apple. “I’ve mislaid a batch of slumber reasoning astir it,” Cue said, erstwhile considering what Apple would bash without gross from Google Search.

As Google and different companies continue to clasp AI, postulation to websites that would normally person clicks from hunt results is falling, dealing a immense stroke to immoderate businesses. In effect to concerns from autarkic tract owners, Google Search vice president Pandu Nayak said helium can’t connection “any guarantees” that things volition crook around.

The Verge reached retired to Google with a petition for remark but didn’t instantly perceive back.