Apple’s WWDC event showcased a promising future for Siri, hinting at significant AI-powered enhancements. However, these upgrades remain largely unavailable, leaving users with an underwhelming experience. While the future holds potential, Siri’s path to AI dominance appears challenging.
Pulling up Siri on lock screen of iPhone.Siri on iPhone Lock Screen. Nadeem Sarwar / MaagX
A Conversational Future, But When?
Bloomberg reports that Apple is developing an LLM-powered Siri, leveraging advanced AI for more complex queries and back-and-forth conversations, much like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. This new Siri is expected to interact more naturally, mimicking human conversation. However, the projected 2026 release date raises concerns about Apple lagging behind its competitors.
Current iOS test builds already offer Siri-ChatGPT integration, providing a glimpse of conversational AI capabilities. Furthermore, the standalone Gemini app for iPhones brings Gemini Live conversation mode to Apple devices. With these features already accessible, the long wait for LLM Siri seems unnecessary.
Third-Party Integration: A Step in the Right Direction?
Apple plans to support more third-party language models, including ChatGPT, as part of the Apple Intelligence bundle. Bloomberg also indicates that Google’s Gemini integration is on the horizon.
ChatGPT and Siri integration on iPhone.ChatGPT and Siri integration on iPhone. Nadeem Sarwar / MaagX
However, Apple’s progress feels sluggish compared to competitors. Google has shifted many Google Assistant functions to Gemini, integrating it effectively with Workspace tools like Gmail and Docs. OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search offers a more conversational web search experience, and a dedicated web browser is in development. Perplexity has also launched search and shopping products, further intensifying the competition.
App Interaction: A Key Differentiator?
LLM Siri’s most significant upgrade is its anticipated ability to interact with apps, offering more precise control over third-party applications. This has been a long-awaited feature, but even this advancement won’t be exclusive to Apple. Android 16’s Developer Preview suggests that Gemini might gain similar cross-app functionality, challenging Apple’s potential advantage.
Gemini Live on an iPhone.Gemini Live on an iPhone 16 Pro. Nadeem Sarwar / MaagX
Conclusion: Can Apple Catch Up?
While Apple’s LLM Siri plans show promise, the delayed release raises concerns. By the time these features arrive, competitors will likely be further ahead, having established a strong foundation in conversational AI. The question remains: can Apple accelerate its development and offer a truly compelling experience that surpasses existing solutions?
