Ahead of Apple’s revamped Siri, which is expected to launch as soon as early 2026, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple has built a ChatGPT-like app to test the new capabilities of its more conversational personal assistant. Among the included features, the voice assistant will be able to search through personal data and perform in-app actions.
Apple’s AI-powered app is seemingly able to make good on some of the promises Apple made during the WWDC 2024 keynote, such as being able to ask Siri about “that podcast your friend sent you a few weeks ago,” and have the personal assistant understand the context of the question and find the podcast episode for you. Additionally, this new assistant would be able to edit a photo based on voice commands.
While Gurman doesn’t expect Apple to release the standalone app, the company is testing what this ChatGPT-like software could look like with its employees, as it’s still debating whether the chatbot format is something users might want on their iPhones.
Smarter Siri is just the start of Apple’s AI era
Beyond the long-awaited Siri overhaul, Apple is preparing another visual redesign for the personal assistant, which is expected to arrive by the end of next year. Once the company is finally able to introduce the revamped Siri in March and the all-new design for Siri by the end of 2026, it will reportedly start to release its range of AI-powered smart home devices, including a tabletop robot with a dynamic arm, as well as more AI features within products that currently don’t feature them, such as the HomePod and Apple TV.
What’s interesting about Apple’s work on the revamped Siri is that it’s also considering using third-party software to power it. The company previously held talks with OpenAI and Anthropic, but it has also recently ramped up discussions with Google about using a custom version of the Gemini platform.
After the public announcement that the smarter Siri would be delayed, Apple shook up its AI and Siri leadership while making more realistic promises during the WWDC 2025 keynote and putting AI features aside when announcing the iPhone 17. If everything goes according to plan, the company might start making its next big push into AI once it cracks the new Siri technology.
