Apple announced a significant upgrade to Siri at its annual developer conference, integrating the voice assistant with Apple Intelligence and marking a major shift in the company's AI strategy. The redesigned Siri, rebranded as "Siri AI," will launch widely in the fall and represents a fundamental departure from the company's previous approach.
The new Siri will function more like ChatGPT or Google Gemini rather than a traditional web-based question-and-answer tool. Mike Rockwell, Apple's vice president of Siri engineering, demonstrated the assistant's capabilities during the keynote, showing how it can perform complex multi-step tasks within a single interface. In one demonstration, Rockwell asked Siri to identify a sunset beach photo, retrieve a friend's address from the contact list, and provide directions with a stop at the friend's house, all without switching between applications.
Apple's partnership with Google powers the new system, with Siri now leveraging Google's Gemini AI model through a billion-dollar deal. The assistant will have its own dedicated app and can access Apple's native ecosystem across mobile and desktop devices. The tool will initially support English only and handle tasks including proofreading, shopping, calendar management, and providing nutritional information through the camera.
The announcement comes after years of delays and consumer frustration. Apple postponed the original Siri update, first announced in 2024, as its AI development lagged competitors. The company previously faced legal consequences for its marketing claims, agreeing in May to pay 250 million dollars to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging false advertising of Siri's capabilities.
CEO Tim Cook, who is stepping down in the fall after 15 years leading the company, oversaw the keynote presentation. Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, acknowledged the company's slower pace in AI development compared to rivals. "Some appear to be racing forward, seemingly pursuing AI for the sake of AI, without clear regard for the people that it's ultimately meant to serve," Federighi said.
Beyond Siri, Apple announced expanded Apple Intelligence features across Safari, messaging, and the Home app. The company also introduced new camera and photo tools powered by AI that can create, alter, and enhance images, developed with Google.
Apple also revealed enhanced child safety features, introducing customizable restrictions on content, contacts, and app access. A new setup assistant helps parents control what their children can view and gradually expand permissions as they age. Additional safeguards include requiring parental permission before children browse new websites, monitoring messages for harmful content, and simplified screen time management. Apple partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics for guidance on age-appropriate access limits.