Apple is said to be in discussions to bring state-of-the-art AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic into a redesigned version of Siri, a potentially significant pivot in direction for the company into voice assistant technology. 

The redesigned version, internally called "LLM Siri," is said to have wiser, more natural language abilities, fueled not only by Apple's internal engineering but the intellectual capital of leading AI vendors in the field.

The change is a signal that Apple is trying to play catch-up in the rapidly evolving space in generative AI. Siri has been behind Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa for a decade.

Apple has kept development in-house, prioritizing privacy and on-device processing at the expense of features. But that strategy has stunted Siri. By potentially introducing external models, Apple is saying that Siri may need to leverage technologies developed elsewhere in order to provide a truly AI-driven Siri.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple has requested OpenAI and Anthropic to develop bespoke versions of their models to host on Apple's internal cloud. This would allow Apple to maintain its strict privacy controls but reap the rewards of more advanced AI systems.

As Apple develops its own language models for Siri, this hybrid approach would potentially allow it to accelerate its timeline without jeopardizing user trust.

Why Apple Needs an AI-Powered Siri

Siri once ruled the intelligent assistant category, going live before Google and Amazon. However, in the last decade, competitors have outpaced Apple by leveraging powerful cloud-based language models.

The core issue for Siri has been processing natural language in a conversational way and offering helpful assistance. Apple's concern for privacy translated to having the majority of processing local to the device, limiting Siri's functionality.

By introducing an AI-powered Siri, Apple would be revolutionizing the manner in which users interact with iPhones, iPads, Macs, and even newer ones like the Vision Pro. Composing emails, setting calendars, making summaries, or even translating a conversation in real time would all be optimized and made intelligent.

More significantly, however, users would finally be able to have multiturn conversations with Siri—something present assistants cannot do.

Technical Challenges and Delays

Apple's path to this future-generation assistant hasn't been easy. Releasing a smarter Siri in 2025 was the original goal, but internal issues pushed that to 2026 or beyond. Building language models as good as, if not superior to, ChatGPT or Claude AI has proven challenging, especially in the company's highly controlled environment.

Apple has therefore looked to firms already well ahead of the pack when it comes to generative AI.

Despite the shift towards external partnerships, Apple is focused on keeping the user private. Any integration with OpenAI or Anthropic would be done in a sandbox environment—Apple's cloud, on Apple's terms, encrypted by Apple.

Apple is not in the business of outsourcing control but of leveraging its own capabilities to deliver the AI-powered Siri users have grown accustomed to.

How AI-Powered Siri May Function

Apple has already dipped its toes into the water. During WWDC 2024, the company announced the possibility of Siri sending complex questions to ChatGPT. This was a temporary measure and a precursor to more extensive integrations down the line.

If these alliances do materialize, subsequent Siri updates may use Apple's in-house AI for simple inquiries, but more sophisticated requests would be sent to OpenAI or Anthropic cloud-based models.

The vision is a single, unified experience. Users wouldn't have to know which model is responding—just a smarter Siri. The AI-powered Siri would be able to recall preferences, respond with empathy, and serve as a real-time personal assistant across apps, services, and devices.

Transforming the Competitive Landscape

Apple's shift to leverage outside AI is a sign of competitive pressure that it's under. Google is deploying its Gemini AI to Android and Search, and Microsoft continues to fold in Copilot tools in Windows and Office with OpenAI technology.

Even Amazon is in a hurry to update Alexa with LLMs. Apple's been the lone large player to not yet have a large-scale generative AI platform in widespread deployment.

But by integrating existing AI systems and also maintaining a tight grip on data security, Apple may well end up offering the safest version of the same tools. Customers are becoming increasingly aware of privacy risks, and an AI-powered Siri that ensures their data stays secure could be a winning differentiator.

Looking Ahead

Information on a company launch schedule is still sparse, though sources report Apple is racing to introduce new AI features in 2026. Powered by OpenAI, Anthropic, or both, the next AI-powered Siri is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious projects the company has ever undertaken.

If successful, it can redefine Apple's place in the era of AI—and at last bring Siri into the future promised to consumers for years.