Apple is preparing to significantly upgrade its Siri virtual assistant by incorporating advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, enabling users to control individual app functions with their voice. According to sources familiar with the matter, the new system will allow Siri to command all features within apps for the first time, marking a substantial shift in the assistant’s functionality.
The overhaul involves revamping Siri’s software with large language models, a core technology of generative AI. This development is a key part of Apple’s broader AI strategy, which will be showcased at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 10. Planned features include voice memo transcriptions, website and notification summaries, automated message replies, advanced photo editing, and AI-generated emojis.
Apple’s AI strategy involves processing basic AI tasks on devices, while more complex capabilities will be handled through cloud computing. The company is also negotiating with OpenAI to integrate its chatbot and other technologies into iOS and remains in discussions with Google’s parent company Alphabet to use its Gemini software in the future.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s software chief, has urged his teams to develop numerous new AI features for this year’s operating system updates. Siri will be a focal point at the WWDC, with enhancements enabling it to perform more precise tasks such as opening specific documents, moving notes, managing emails, and summarizing articles.
Currently, Siri handles broader commands like playing music, retrieving information, or controlling smart home devices. Apple also provides developers with app intents and Siri Shortcuts, allowing for some degree of manual command creation. The upcoming system, however, will use AI to automatically enable Siri-controlled features based on user activity, initially supporting Apple’s own apps with plans to expand.
The enhanced Siri is expected to launch as part of an iOS 18 update next year, following the release of iOS 17 and new iPhone models in September. Initially, Siri will handle one command at a time, but Apple plans to introduce the ability to chain commands together, such as summarizing a meeting and texting it in a single request.
A critical component of the upgrade is an AI system that determines whether a function should be processed on-device or via the cloud. While on-device tasks will not share personal information, cloud-based tasks will require some data transfer to remote servers, protected by Apple’s Secure Enclave technology.
To address privacy concerns, Apple will introduce an “intelligence report” detailing data security measures. Unlike Google and Meta, Apple will not create user profiles based on collected data.
This move aims to revitalize Siri, which has lagged behind Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. Apple initially led the voice-based AI market with Siri’s launch in 2011 but fell behind in subsequent years. The company now hopes that the new AI features and Siri enhancements will drive users to upgrade their devices, with many capabilities requiring the latest iPhone, Mac, and iPad models.
Apple’s stock performance has lagged behind its peers this year, down about 1% in 2024 compared to a 10% gain for the Nasdaq 100 Stock Index. The company is betting that these new AI features will boost device upgrades and overall market performance.
