Nothing to see here!
Google hits back after Apple exec says AI is hurting search
Google doesn't think Eddie Cue is right about search.
Ryan Whitwam
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May 8, 2025 12:02 pm
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Credit:
Aurich Lawson
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The antitrust trial targeting Google's search business is heading into the home stretch, and the outcome could forever alter Google—and the web itself. The company is scrambling to protect its search empire, but perhaps market forces could pull the rug out from under Google before the government can. Apple SVP of Services Eddie Cue suggested in his testimony on Wednesday that Google's search traffic might be falling. Not so fast, says Google.
In an unusual move, Google issued a statement late in the day after Cue's testimony to dispute the implication that it may already be losing its monopoly. During questioning by DOJ attorney Adam Severt, Cue expressed concern about losing the Google search deal, which is a major source of revenue for Apple. This contract, along with a similar one for Firefox, gives Google default search placement in exchange for a boatload of cash. The DOJ contends that is anticompetitive, and its proposed remedies call for banning Google from such deals.
Surprisingly, Cue noted in his testimony that search volume in Safari fell for the first time ever in April. Since Google is the default search provider, that implies fewer Google searches. Apple devices are popular, and a drop in Google searches there could be a bad sign for the company's future competitiveness. Google's statement on this comes off as a bit defensive.
Here it is in full:
We continue to see overall query growth in Search. That includes an increase in total queries coming from Apple’s devices and platforms. More generally, as we enhance Search with new features, people are seeing that Google Search is more useful for more of their queries—and they’re accessing it for new things and in new ways, whether from browsers or the Google app, using their voice or Google Lens. We’re excited to continue this innovation and look forward to sharing more at Google I/O.
Cue's testimony suggests that more people are switching to AI-based ways of finding information, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others. Dropping search traffic on Apple devices, which recently integrated a heap of AI features, would be a bad sign. And indeed, the markets took it as one. Google's stock price cratered 8 percent late on Wednesday. This dramatic reaction is probably what prompted Google's terse statement.
This is clearly a sore spot for Google. After doing the work to create the transformer architecture in 2017, Google hung back and gave OpenAI the space to become a cultural phenomenon. Since Google allowed its AI obsession to become all-consuming, it has seen usage of its Gemini AI increase. Still, if the future of search is AI, Google may find itself struggling to stay on top, regardless of the court's decision on antitrust remedies.
Ryan Whitwam
Senior Technology Reporter
Ryan Whitwam
Senior Technology Reporter
Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he's written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards.
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