Apple reboots Siri for the AI era at WWDC

Apple Inc. unveiled a long-delayed overhaul of Siri at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), betting that a more conversational AI assistant can help the iPhone maker narrow the gap with OpenAI, Google and Anthropic.

The upgraded “Siri AI” assistant, rolled out at WWDC 26 in Cupertino, California, will have a standalone app, greater conversational ability, on-screen awareness and the ability to draw information from messages, emails and the web, the company said.

The update comes two years after Apple first promised major Siri improvements, only to delay several of the features. The delay had sharpened investor concern that Apple was falling behind rivals in generative AI, even as the company continued to argue that privacy and device integration would shape its approach.

Apple’s own WWDC page says the new Siri AI is powered by Apple Intelligence and is coming later this year. The feature will be available in English first and will not initially be available in the European Union on iOS and iPadOS, according to Apple.

Reuters reported separately that Apple decided not to roll out Siri AI in the EU after unsuccessfully seeking an exemption from interoperability obligations.

“The decision not to roll out Siri AI in the EU is Apple’s and Apple’s only,” EU Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said.

The upgraded Siri is designed to understand personal context and screen content. Apple said users will be able to revisit past Siri conversations and ask the assistant to find details such as an address mentioned in a message, even if it had not been saved separately.

The company is trying to distinguish its AI strategy from rivals that have focused heavily on autonomous agents. Apple software chief Craig Federighi used the keynote to argue that the company is focused on practical features rather than AI for its own sake.

“Some appear to be racing forward, seemingly pursuing AI for the sake of AI, without clear regard for the people, all of us, that it’s ultimately meant to serve,” Federighi said.

Apple is also leaning on outside technology for parts of its AI push. Reuters reported that some of Apple’s models were built using Google’s Gemini technology, while larger models will run in cloud infrastructure using Nvidia chips.

That dependence underscores the scale of Apple’s challenge. The company controls the iPhone ecosystem, but it does not yet have the same visible lead in large language models as OpenAI, Google or Anthropic.

Apple said it remains focused on privacy. Most processing will be done on devices or through Apple’s private cloud system, the company said. But the more capable Siri becomes, the more it needs to understand what users are doing across screens and apps.

Beyond Siri, Apple announced expanded child-safety controls, upgraded image-generation tools and AI features for Safari, including the ability to check whether items are back in stock on a website.

The market reaction was cautious. Apple shares closed 1.9% lower at $301.54 on Monday.