Apple is reportedly developing a more AI-integrated conversational version of its 13-year-old Siri digital assistant in a bid to catch up with the likes of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
The new Siri will use more advanced large language models (LLMs) to allow for back-and-forth conversations and also handle more intricate requests.
The revamped Siri which will eventually be added to Apple Intelligence, is dubbed “LLM Siri”, reported Bloomberg.
The company is planning to announce the overhaul as soon as next year as part of its iOS 19 and macOS 16 software updates.
Like Apple Intelligence, the new features will not be immediately available to users. Instead, it will arrive on Apple devices the following year.
Due to its integration with Apple Intelligence, it will be able to tap into features such as writing and summarising text.
While the revamped Siri will arrive with the upcoming iOS 19, the existing iOS 18 will also see Siri being tweaked.
The iOS 18 version will work on a first-generation Apple LLM to determine if requests should use the existing Siri infrastructure or be routed to a second LLM that can handle more complex queries and tap into third-party apps.
The next-generation LLM planned for iOS 19 will be a new, end-to-end system that provides more advanced, ChatGPT-like capabilities.
With Apple Intelligence, the company has already announced that it will add ChatGPT to that platform next month. Apple also reportedly plans to offer additional chatbot options, such as Gemini.
A revamped Siri would be a way to bring these capabilities in-house. But the company could still continue to offer access to third-party AI systems that provide specialised abilities.
Recent Apple job ads have also hinted that the company is looking to hire employees who can work on developing its enhanced version of Siri. “You will join a team that is redefining computing, creating groundbreaking conversational assistant technologies for both large-scale systems and new client devices, and with the people who built the intelligent assistants,” one listing reads.
