- A new report says Apple is working on an AI-powered Siri chatbot
- This could come with new features its rivals can’t match
- I’m excited for what it might mean for Apple’s devices
After what seems like an eternity of denials, it finally looks like Apple has caved to the pressure and plans to release its own Siri-branded chatbot to compete with the likes of ChatGPT and Google Gemini. And as a long-time Apple user, I’ve got to admit that I’m actually pretty excited about that.
These days, I find myself spending more and more time turning to ChatGPT rather than Google Search whenever I have a question. I haven’t abandoned Google completely, but the back-and-forth nature of a chatbot – where I can refine my question, ask for follow-up information, and get targeted answers – is particularly useful when I have a specific problem that Google just can’t seem to resolve.
That’s exactly the kind of helper I’ve long felt has been missing from Apple’s own suite of apps and operating systems. Sure, the Spotlight search tool got more powerful in macOS 26, and Apple has started weaving artificial intelligence (AI) into its operating systems, but it’s no secret that Siri lags well behind its AI rivals in this area.
Yet far from just catching up with the rest of the market, it looks like the Siri chatbot could have some significant advantages over its competitors, as reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The journalist says that “Unlike third-party chatbots running on Apple devices, the planned offering is designed to analyze open windows and on-screen content in order to take actions and suggest commands. It will also be able to control device features and settings, allowing it to make phone calls, set timers and launch the camera.”
These are the features that were touted at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024. Combined with Siri’s upcoming chatbot functionality, they could transform Apple’s virtual assistant into an all-around helper that offers a suite of features that even its strongest rivals can’t match.
That’s a lot to hope for, but if Apple can even come close, we could soon see a significant shake-up in the AI market.
Reasons to be hopeful
Interestingly, the rumors suggest that Apple will take a similar approach with the Siri chatbot. Instead of a standalone app as you get with ChatGPT, Gemini, and other chatbots, Apple will instead “integrate the software across its operating systems, like the Siri of today,” Gurman says.
That strikes me as the right approach. Given the amount of power it could potentially have, I want the Siri chatbot to be available in whichever app I’m using. Having it as a separate app risks breaking your flow and interrupting your work. Mixing it into existing apps could be a much more natural way to interact with the AI.
And let’s not forget all the updates we were promised back in 2024, which I mentioned earlier, including the ability to understand your personal context and work within and across apps. With both of these major revamps planned for 2026, this could be the biggest year in Siri’s history – and might finally help Apple catch up in the high-stakes world of AI.
There are risks to Apple’s about-turn, though. For one thing, Gurman reports that Apple might have to rely on Google’s servers in order to quickly scale up Siri’s capacity. With much of Google’s business model centered on advertising and data collection, user interactions with a chatbot would be a tempting target for the company.
Yet here, I’m confident that Apple will be able to ensure that your info is protected and sectioned off from any kind of data collection, just as it did when it announced a “multi-year collaboration” to power Siri using Google Gemini models. If Apple is able to empower Siri while protecting user privacy, that’s a win-win situation.
That all means that 2026 is shaping up to be a make-or-break year for Siri. Based on what we’ve heard so far – and Apple’s willingness to change tack and launch a Siri chatbot – I’m optimistic for the future.
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
