By Mark Gurman
Published 22 November 2024
Apple Inc. is making a strategic push to revamp its Siri digital assistant, aiming to catch up with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other leading voice services. According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple is developing a more conversational version of Siri that leverages advanced large language models (LLMs) to enable dynamic, back-and-forth conversations and handle sophisticated tasks more efficiently. This move is part of Apple’s broader efforts to establish itself as a key player in the field of artificial intelligence.
The new Siri, dubbed “LLM Siri” by those working on it, uses these advanced models to provide responses that more closely mimic human interaction, allowing for a greater degree of contextual understanding and the ability to tackle more complex requests. The goal is to make Siri more capable of handling nuanced tasks, from answering detailed questions to managing interactions with third-party apps. The new version will integrate seamlessly into Apple’s existing AI ecosystem, including the Apple Intelligence platform, which debuted last month but currently lacks many of the features offered by its tech giant rivals.
According to the sources, Apple has been testing this upgraded version of Siri on iPhones, iPads, and Macs as a standalone app. The technology is expected to eventually replace the existing Siri interface, with plans to announce the overhaul as early as 2025 as part of the upcoming iOS 19 and macOS 16 software updates. Internally named Luck and Cheer, the updates promise to bring significant changes to how users interact with Siri.
The new Siri is set to leverage LLMs, which are a key component of generative AI technology. These models process massive amounts of data to identify patterns and answer questions with greater accuracy. The next-generation Siri will allow for back-and-forth conversations that are more natural and fluid, aiming to deliver an experience more aligned with leading voice services like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. The software is designed to understand and respond to user queries in a way that feels less robotic and more human-like.
The revamped Siri will also integrate App Intents, a feature that allows for more precise control of third-party apps through voice commands. This capability will enable users to carry out more sophisticated tasks directly through Siri, making it easier to manage connected devices and access services from within third-party apps. Additionally, the new Siri will tap into Apple Intelligence features, such as the ability to write and summarize text, further enhancing its utility for everyday tasks.
Despite heralding “the start of a new era” for Siri when it first unveiled Apple Intelligence in June, Apple has yet to deliver a complete overhaul of the voice assistant. The updates that accompanied the launch of Apple Intelligence were primarily cosmetic, including a new glowing interface that shows users when they’ve activated Siri. There is also an option to type commands rather than speaking them, alongside improved understanding capabilities. These enhancements were aimed at streamlining interactions and making Siri more user-friendly but did not address the need for greater conversational abilities.
Apple is planning additional tweaks for Siri in the coming months as part of the iOS 18 software update. These changes will allow Siri to draw on customer data to provide context for commands and take action using the information displayed on a user’s device. The iOS 18 version relies on a first-generation Apple LLM to determine if requests should be processed through the existing Siri infrastructure or routed to a secondary LLM that can handle more complex queries and integrate with third-party apps.
The next-generation LLM planned for iOS 19 is designed as a new, end-to-end system that offers more advanced, ChatGPT-like capabilities. This system will provide Siri with the ability to understand context, handle nuanced requests, and maintain more natural, dynamic conversations. Apple is also working on integrating this technology into its ecosystem to offer enhanced privacy protections. The idea is to bring these capabilities in-house while ensuring user privacy remains a top priority.
To accelerate its progress in this area, Apple has been posting job listings that hint at its plan for a more conversational Siri. These roles emphasize the company’s focus on natural language processing, machine learning, and AI system development, suggesting that Apple is building up its team to support the next-generation Siri. This move follows similar recruitment efforts by other major tech companies, such as Google and Microsoft, which have been focused on advancing their own AI capabilities.
Apple’s current Siri capabilities still lag behind those of its rivals, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s voice services. The company is now working to bridge that gap by developing a more conversational, context-aware assistant that can handle a wider range of tasks with greater accuracy and efficiency. The revamped Siri will not only enhance the digital assistant experience on iPhones, iPads, and Macs but will also position Apple as a serious contender in the AI space.
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While Apple is focused on developing its own technology, it will also add ChatGPT to Apple Intelligence next month. This move will allow users to access ChatGPT’s capabilities through Apple’s ecosystem, offering an additional layer of functionality and seamless integration across devices. Later, Apple plans to offer additional chatbot options, such as Google’s Gemini, to provide users with more choices and flexibility. This approach reflects Apple’s desire to create a balanced ecosystem where in-house AI capabilities are complemented by specialized third-party solutions when needed.
The company’s commitment to privacy is evident in its plans for Siri’s new capabilities. Apple is determined to keep user data secure by processing requests locally on devices whenever possible and minimizing the need for data to be sent to the cloud. This focus on privacy is consistent with Apple’s broader privacy-focused philosophy, which sets it apart from many of its competitors.
With its next-generation Siri, Apple aims to deliver an AI-powered assistant that feels more human, handles complex requests with ease, and maintains high levels of privacy. By leveraging advanced LLMs and integrating App Intents, Apple is positioning itself as a leader in the AI space and ensuring that Siri remains a key feature of its ecosystem for years to come. The company is well on its way to transforming Siri into a more powerful, conversational digital assistant that can stand up to the competition from ChatGPT and Google’s voice services.
