Apple is planning to overhaul its Siri virtual assistant with more advanced AI, Bloomberg reported. The tech giant has also been forging a deal with OpenAI to integrate the startup’s chatbot and other technology into the iOS operating system.
However, this is also worrying Microsoft right now, as OpenAI relies heavily on Microsoft servers, and adding Apple users to this mix is likely to overwhelm Microsoft’s data centres, as reported by The Information.
Basic AI tasks will be processed on devices themselves, while more advanced capabilities will be handled via cloud computing, the Bloomberg article read. Apple also remains in talks with Google parent Alphabet Inc. to use its Gemini software as an option in the future.
The Siri upgrade is one piece of the company’s larger AI strategy, which will be unveiled at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10.
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While Siri today is limited mostly to broader commands like playing music playlists, looking up information or controlling smart home appliances, Apple is preparing several features, including voice memo transcriptions and summaries, quick recaps of websites and notifications, automated message replies, advanced photo editing, and AI-generated emojis, Bloomberg reported.
{{/usCountry}}While Siri today is limited mostly to broader commands like playing music playlists, looking up information or controlling smart home appliances, Apple is preparing several features, including voice memo transcriptions and summaries, quick recaps of websites and notifications, automated message replies, advanced photo editing, and AI-generated emojis, Bloomberg reported.
{{/usCountry}}The new system will allow Siri to take command of all the features within apps for the first time, unidentified sources said to Bloomberg.
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Siri, first launched in 2011, had a head start in voice-based interfaces and AI. But Apple soon lost the lead to Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant. Then it was caught flat-footed again when generative AI chatbots emerged two years ago.
Apple is also seeing a sales slowdown and underperforming shares compared to peers this year. The stock is down about 1% in 2024, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Stock Index gained 10%, according to Bloomberg.
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