Apple Catches Up on Conversational AI

Apple’s digital assistant Siri is finally getting a major overhaul, and it’s about time. After 13 years of relatively modest improvements, Apple is preparing to launch what employees internally call “LLM Siri” - a next-generation version powered by large language models that aims to bring genuinely conversational AI capabilities to Apple devices.

This revamp couldn’t come at a more critical moment. While Apple has traditionally been a pioneer in consumer AI with Siri’s 2011 debut, recent years have seen the company fall behind as ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and other AI chatbots have showcased far more sophisticated conversational abilities. Apple’s response through its Apple Intelligence platform last month, while noteworthy, still lacks many features offered by competitors.

The new Siri will be fundamentally different from what we know today. Instead of the often rigid, command-based interactions, users can expect more natural back-and-forth conversations. The system will handle complex requests faster and more intelligently, leveraging advanced language models to understand context and provide more nuanced responses. This isn’t just a surface-level update - it’s a complete redesign of how Siri processes and responds to user input.

The timeline for this transformation is particularly interesting. Apple plans to announce the overhaul in 2025 as part of iOS 19 and macOS 16, codenamed “Luck” and “Cheer.” However, the actual consumer release isn’t expected until spring 2026. This extended timeline suggests Apple is taking a characteristically measured approach, ensuring the technology is properly refined before release.

While we wait for the new Siri, Apple isn’t standing still. The company plans to integrate ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence next month, with Google’s Gemini potentially following later. This move seems like a strategic stopgap while Apple develops its in-house conversational AI capabilities. The company’s job listings have also started hinting at these ambitions, seeking experts in conversational AI interfaces and related technologies.

What’s particularly noteworthy is how Apple is approaching this upgrade. The new Siri will use an end-to-end system based on next-generation language models, moving beyond the current hybrid approach that routes different types of queries through different systems. This should result in more consistent and capable performance across all types of interactions.

Privacy remains a key focus for Apple in this transition. While the company is embracing more advanced AI capabilities, it’s doing so while maintaining its stance on user data protection. This balance between sophisticated AI features and privacy could be a key differentiator from other AI assistants in the market.

The scope of the upgrade extends beyond just conversation. The new Siri will make expanded use of App Intents, allowing for more precise control of third-party apps. It will also integrate features from Apple Intelligence, such as text generation and summarization capabilities. This suggests we’re looking at a more comprehensive digital assistant that can handle both simple commands and complex tasks with equal proficiency.

For Apple enthusiasts and tech watchers, this overhaul represents a significant shift in Apple’s AI strategy. The company appears to be acknowledging that the current Siri experience isn’t competitive in today’s AI landscape, and they’re willing to invest substantial resources in catching up. Whether this upgraded version can match or exceed the capabilities of current AI chatbots remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Apple is finally making a serious push to modernize its AI assistant for the era of conversational AI.