When Apple Speaks, Google Shrinks: Why AI Search is Shifting the Whole Game

By Michael Cunniff, @DukesAllDay @ The Super Agency | Fort Lauderdale, FL

All it took was one comment.

Eddy Cue — Apple’s senior VP of Services, a guy who rarely stirs headlines — casually drops a line during a DOJ testimony, saying Apple is “actively looking at” adding AI-powered search to Safari. He mentions OpenAI, Perplexity, Anthropic... and just like that, Google’s stock tanks 8.4%, wiping out $150 billion in market value in a flash.

No product announcement. No keynote. Just a possibility that Apple might finally ditch Google Search as the default in Safari.

That's the kind of power we're dealing with.

Big Tech's Cold War Just Went Nuclear

This isn’t just another “Apple vs. Google” moment — it’s a signal that the age of traditional search is sunsetting. AI is no longer coming. It’s here, and it’s already reshaping how we interact with the web.

Apple’s been paid billions — literally $20B in 2022 alone — just to keep Google as Safari’s default. And now they’re exploring replacing that entire model. Why?

Because traditional search is no longer good enough in a world where users expect instant insight, not ten blue links.

AI Search Is Built for the Attention Economy

Let’s get real: In 2025, nobody wants to scroll through sponsored SEO soup when AI can give them a tight, context-aware answer — fast. That’s why tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT are gaining traction. They don’t just find info — they deliver it like a concierge, not a librarian.

At The Super Agency, we know the value of content that commands attention. AI search isn’t just a threat to Google — it’s a wake-up call for anyone still playing by old rules. From brand messaging to paid traffic, everything is evolving faster than your browser cache can refresh.

Cue even mentioned that Apple saw in-browser searches drop for the first time in April. That’s wild — and it’s likely because users are already skipping the browser and asking AI tools directly. If people aren’t even searching like they used to, what happens to the whole foundation of digital marketing?

Fort Lauderdale Moves Different

Here in Fort Lauderdale, we move with the wave — not against it. Whether it's helping clients adapt to the latest tech or rethinking their media strategy for an AI-first world, we’re not waiting around to see how it shakes out.

This moment is about more than Google vs. Apple. It’s about understanding that the future belongs to the nimble, creative, and tech-native. Platforms like OpenAI and Perplexity don’t care how dominant you were last quarter — they care about what's next.

And that’s the question: Are you ready for what’s next?

Let’s be blunt: If you’re in sales, media, or marketing, you’re not just competing with other people anymore — you’re competing with AI.

Want to outpace that curve? Then stop thinking like a search result and start acting like an answer.

Join our Free Skool community for high-level sales professionals who want to stay ahead of the next shift:🔗 Fairway Next Level powered by www.Fairway.com

Final Word from Dukes:

When Apple speaks, markets move. But when your brand acts on that insight before it becomes mainstream? That’s how you lead.

We’re building for the future — not waiting for someone else to tell us what it looks like.