CUPERTINO, California - Apple unveiled a new, AI-powered version of Siri at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, marking a long-awaited overhaul of its voice assistant. Dubbed 'Siri AI,' the software can analyze what’s on the device screen and pull information from the web, and will feature its own dedicated app.
Apple software chief Craig Federighi said the vision centers on integrating AI deeply into everyday products while prioritizing privacy. The company also announced iOS 27, which will support iPhone 11 and later models, and renamed its next MacOS 'Golden Gate.'
In addition, Apple rolled out enhanced child-safety features. New parental controls will restrict children to approved apps by default, and an 'ask to browse' feature will require permission for each new website. The company is also blurring gore images in messaging apps and partnering with the American Academy of Pediatrics on a digital habits guide.
Apple has been slower than rivals like Microsoft and Google in embedding 'agentic' AI into daily computing. However, analysts say the company must move quickly to avoid missing a transformative shift in how consumers interact with devices. Apple’s cautious approach has so far kept its data center spending in check, but CFO Kevan Parekh recently signaled a pivot, ending the company’s longtime goal of returning spare cash to shareholders to allow for greater investment.
Apple’s advantage lies in its powerful chips already in many iPhones and MacBooks, enabling on-device AI processing without additional cloud costs, and a vast trove of personal data stored locally.