Cue linked the dip in searches to the growing use of AI, which the company is now considering putting into Safari. The rise of web search in AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot may make users less inclined to visit Google as their primary way of finding information.

Apple Inc. is “actively looking at” reshaping the Safari web browser on its devices to focus on AI-powered search engines in light of the potential fallout of its deal with Google and broader industry shifts.

Mainly: What happens to the company if lots of people start using AI engines to answer questions instead of Google's dominant search engine? Now it looks like that might actually be happening. Apple executive Eddy Cue says searches on Apple's Safari browser shrank for the first time ever in April — a change he chalked up to people using AI instead.