Eddy Cue defends Apple’s $20 billion deal with Google amidst AI advancements

Apple’s senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue, has argued that AI services could disrupt Google’s dominance in search more effectively than traditional competitors like Microsoft’s Bing or DuckDuckGo. Cue, who testified in a Washington, D.C. courtroom, highlighted the rapid advancements in generative AI, suggesting they could challenge Google’s monopoly. He also defended the significant revenue Apple earns from Google’s payments for default search engine placement on Safari. Despite the potential for AI to reshape the search landscape, Cue acknowledged that Google remains the best service for customers, making it difficult for Apple to replace the deal. He also noted that the DOJ’s proposal to share Google’s search index with competitors could accelerate AI’s impact. Cue emphasized that the tech industry is unique, with giants often falling without court intervention, and that AI represents a significant technological shift.