Apple has announced a major update to Siri, positioning the voice assistant as a more capable AI service after acknowledging that user expectations have risen sharply in the generative AI era.
The company said at WWDC 2026 that the upgraded Siri will be more conversational, better able to work across apps and compatible with visual intelligence features. Apple also said Siri will be available through a standalone app, while continuing to operate across its existing software ecosystem.
The new version is expected to use Google’s Gemini technology as part of its underlying AI system, according to reports on the WWDC announcement. The move marks a significant shift for Apple as it seeks to strengthen its Apple Intelligence offering and close the gap with rival AI assistants.
Apple placed privacy at the centre of the announcement. Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice-president of software engineering, said during the stream: “We believe privacy in AI is non-negotiable.” He added that user data would be used only to complete requests and that outside experts could continue to verify the company’s approach.
The announcement follows delays to Apple’s earlier Siri upgrade plans and comes as technology companies compete to embed generative AI more deeply into phones, computers and consumer apps. Apple said the redesigned assistant is intended to make interactions with its devices more natural while maintaining its privacy-focused model.