Apple Unveils Siri AI Makeover at WWDC 2026 as Tim Cook Bids Farewell

Apple is launching a new AI initiative and wants to compete with ChatGPT and co. Apple is making a new attempt to bring artificial intelligence on a large scale into the daily lives of its device users. A core element is an AI-enhanced version of the assistant software Siri, which is intended to directly compete with ChatGPT and co. The iPhone group had already announced AI functions for Siri two years ago that have still not been introduced because, according to Apple, they did not work reliably enough. Software chief Craig Federighi emphasized that from Apple's perspective, "truly helpful AI" must be built around the needs of users. That means artificial intelligence is integrated into the products you use every day and knows the personal context of each user. No AI Siri on iPhones and iPads in the EU. For more functions, Siri, which came to Apple devices as a voice assistant about 15 years ago, is getting its own app. Apple manager Mike Rockwell showed in a recorded demonstration how the new Siri can search for the date of a musician's next concert nearby as well as ticket sales information, create a reminder, and then play one of her new songs on request. Initially, the new AI Siri will only be offered in English. Other languages are to follow "quickly," said Federighi. In the European Union, "Siri AI" will initially not be available at all on iPhones and iPad tablets. AI with data protection as a promise. Apple also emphasizes that data protection is guaranteed because the requests are processed on the devices and are not visible to the company. Federighi also took a swipe at companies that are in a race "AI for AI's sake" and do not consider the interests of users. Apple is using Google's "Gemini" AI models under the hood for some of the new functions. Two years of delay. While Apple struggled with the Siri problems, Google, the developer of the competing mobile operating system Android, and the major iPhone rival Samsung outdid each other with announcements of ever new AI assistant functions. Measured against this, Apple seemed to be lagging behind - but customers seemed not to care. Sales of Apple devices continued to rise, and the iPhone pushed Samsung off the smartphone throne after many years, according to calculations by market researchers. AI everywhere. In addition to the prominently presented new Siri capabilities, artificial intelligence is also used in individual functions of various Apple apps, as has been the case for years. The automations in the Apple app "Shortcuts" can now be created via voice command. For example, you can set up a function with a single sentence that automatically tells your family your estimated arrival time when you leave work for home. In Apple's Safari browser, AI should be able to bundle open tabs by topic. In photos, you can move people within an image. Artificial intelligence then fills in gaps or newly needed edges. Google already offers such a function on devices with its Android operating system. The Messages app will now understand the context of a conversation and make suggestions about which photos to send. Apple's Home app can now analyze and describe the content of videos from connected security cameras with the help of artificial intelligence. Farewell round for Cook. This is the last WWDC for Tim Cook as CEO. In September, top manager John Ternus, who has been responsible for devices, is scheduled to take over. System improvements. After criticism that the semi-transparent controls of the current "Liquid Glass" design sometimes impaired readability, Apple is making them more customizable. Through better management of processor performance, the next versions of Apple's operating systems should also run faster on older devices. RND/dpa