Apple is clearly warming up to the idea that Siri needs to embrace recent advances in AI tools. The company’s rollout of “Apple Intelligence” is a step in that direction, aiming to make Siri smarter, more helpful, and less frustrating.
However, it’s not all here yet – Apple has delivered other Apple Intelligence features, such as Writing Tools, Image Playground, and Genmoji. However, the big AI-infused Siri upgrade has been officially delayed and is expected to arrive in the coming year.
That means we’re live with the new glow, a Siri that can ask ChatGPT for help, and slightly better performance with pauses for a more natural experience. We’re waiting on context awareness, app integration, and even more fluid natural language capabilities.
As someone who has spent a lot of time testing ChatGPT, I can’t help but notice how far Siri still has to go. Here are four features from ChatGPT that I’d love to see Apple shamelessly borrow.
Memory AI
Siri is polite, but rarely good at actually remembering anything about you. You can have a deep, meaningful conversation with it about your favorite Thai restaurant or your hatred for Monday morning meetings, but ask it to recall any of that five minutes later, and it just stares at you blankly through your iPhone screen. Meanwhile, ChatGPT has been enhancing its memory regularly for a while.
If Siri had real memory, it could become something resembling a true digital assistant, not just for scheduling meetings and setting timers, but for anticipating needs. It could remember that you hate taking calls before 10 a.m. or that you prefer your smart lights to be set to warm white after sunset. You wouldn’t have to keep re-explaining your life story every time you make a request.
Apple says it’s working on this, but the day Siri remembers my coffee order without me having to prompt it every single time is the day I’ll believe we’ve arrived.
Multi-modal madness
Siri is all about the voice, and while Apple has begun to experiment with more multi-modal options for iOS, it’s nothing compared to how ChatGPT casually creates images, analyzes the world seen through your camera, reads documents, and even evaluates your tone of voice.
I’ve shown it photos of receipts and asked it to break down expenses. I’ve uploaded sketches and had them generate descriptions, and shown them to my garden to find out which of the new shoots are actually weeds.
Siri is still stuck in an audio-only universe. Multimodal Siri would be a game-changer.
Imagine snapping a photo of a plant while on a hike and asking, “Siri, is this edible or should I avoid touching atImagine snapping a photo of a plant while on a hike and asking, “Siri, is this edible, or should I avoid touching it at all costs?” all costs?”
Or you’re in a store and ask Siri to compare two similar-looking blenders based on the barcodes. Right now, you’re probably toggling between apps, swiping around, and giving up. But with real multimodal chops like ChatGPT, Siri could combine visual input with conversational context. Apple has the hardware edge, but until Siri learns to see and say what it sees, it’s basically flying blind.
Plug it in
One of the most notable features of ChatGPT is how it can leverage its ability to tap into third-party tools via plugins or APIs. Need to book a table at a restaurant? It can use OpenTable. Want to check a flight status? It knows where to look.
Siri is less inclined to talk to strangers. Sure, it’ll interact with a handful of Apple-approved apps like Calendar and Reminders, and some developers have shoehorned in Siri Shortcuts, but it’s clunky. Telling me to “check the app” isn’t helpful when I asked you to check for me.
If Siri got proper plugin support like ChatGPT, the possibilities would open up fast. Imagine asking Siri to compare Airbnb listings, call a Lyft, or find a specific TikTok sound all at once, without having to bounce between five different apps.
For people who live and breathe in a mess of apps and tabs, that could be the most significant upgrade of all.
The next game
This one might sound a little silly until you try it, but once you do, you don’t go back. ChatGPT lets you create custom GPTs that act and sound how you want them to. You can have one that speaks like a 1950s film noir detective or one that talks like your favorite superhero. They remember instructions and stick to their tone. It’s not just funny; it’s functional.
Now, imagine Siri with that level of personality tuning. Right now, Siri does not have much of a personality. But what if you could create “Workday Siri”—brisk, focused, no-nonsense and “Weekend Siri,” who’s more laid back and cracks a joke or two? Or how about a parenting mode where Siri helps entertain a toddler without getting overly technical?
Giving Siri adjustable personas would add real humanity to the experience. It wouldn’t just be about having fun with voices either. It’s about choosing how you want to interact.
Tech doesn’t have to be sterile. In fact, the more it can flex to match your vibe, the better it serves its purpose. Siri desperately needs some personality spice, and ChatGPT’s Custom GPTs are a good template.
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erichs211@gmail.com (Eric Hal Schwartz)
