Is Apple turning Siri into a full AI Chatbot to rival ChatGPT and Gemini?

Apple is preparing its biggest AI leap yet, as the Apple Siri AI chatbot is set to replace the traditional assistant with a conversational, generative AI system across iPhone, iPad and Mac. The next significant Siri upgrade is believed to be the one that will see Apple turn its assistant into a more radical upgrade, and turn Siri into a full-fledged AI chatbot in the vein of Google Gemini, ChatGPT and Claude. The new development is internally known as Campos, and will be launched at WWDC 2026, and other rollouts will follow the release of the next iPhone line in September 2026.

Rather than making minor adjustments to its reactions, or a few clever functions, it seems that Apple is repositioning the Siri platform at its core, making it the key AI platform across iPhone, iPad and Mac. According to reports, Apple will unveil the redesigned assistant at WWDC 2026, making this the most significant Siri announcement in years.

Siri AI upgrade 2026: A new Siri interface

This Siri AI upgrade represents a foundational shift rather than an incremental update, repositioning Siri as Apple’s core artificial intelligence platform. The report indicates that Apple will no longer have Siri as the interface but an AI chatbot-like interface that is highly integrated into its operating systems but will retain the process used by users to activate Siri.

You will, however, be able to say Siri or press and hold the side button, but what appears on screen will be more like a conversational AI - able to think and make multi-step responses as opposed to brief, monologued responses. This new Siri should be able to search the web, generate and create images, summarise long articles and even analyse files uploaded or referred to by users, putting it in direct competition with the most popular AI assistants in the market. The shift turns Siri into a true conversational system, intensifying the Siri vs ChatGPT debate for everyday productivity and AI assistance.

Apple Siri AI chatbot: Deeper integration with personal data 

With this move, Apple is effectively positioning Siri as an Apple AI chatbot capable of competing directly with ChatGPT, Claude and Google Gemini. Among the most notable alterations, which Apple is supposedly working on, is the interaction of Siri with the personal information, which is saved both on the device and within the ecosystem of applications at Apple. The enhanced assistant ought to be in a position to locate particular files, tracks or calendar activities utilising the natural language e.g., Show me the presentation I worked on last night or Play that playlist I utilised at the gym last week.

In Photos, Siri had the ability to find pictures by description and then edit them, responding to such requests as to crop, make colour or other modifications. It was reported that Apple is experimenting with the inclusion of the new chatbot in the foundational apps such as Mail, Music, Podcasts, TV, Xcode and Photos, where Siri can write emails or even arrange media, recommended content to view or even help programmers directly within their work environments. From a performance standpoint, this evolution places Siri squarely in the Siri vs Google Gemini conversation for on-device and cloud-powered intelligence.

Controlling the device through natural language

Early elements of the transformation are expected to arrive with the iOS 26 Siri update, ahead of the full chatbot rollout in 2026. In addition to content and search, the redesigned Siri chatbot will also acquire a great deal of fine control over the features of the devices and the settings of the system through natural language. This implies that users would be able to request it to make phone calls, use a timer, an on-off feature such as Do Not Disturb, open the camera in a particular environment, or a series of commands in a single command. The assistant would be able to perceive more flexible wording and still perform tasks correctly, bridging one of the largest gaps that exist between Siri and its AI-driven competitors. Apple is also internally developing a stand alone Siri chatbot application but the current strategy is said to focus on system wide integration as opposed to launching an individual application.

Powered by Apple Foundation models and Google Gemini

The next-generation Siri chatbot will run on Apple Foundation Models, forming the backbone of Apple’s long-term AI ambitions. Technically, the renovated assisting plan of Apple is reported to be based on the in-house models, named the Apple Foundation Models, albeit quite densely relying on the collaboration between the Apple and Google-created custom AI model. A new Siri voice interface with the iOS 26.4 software update is likely to operate on an Apple Foundation Models version 10 which is defined as a specially made model by Google to be used by Apple itself.

The more sophisticated Siri chatbot, however, is also expected to be based on the Apple Foundation Models version 11; which is a vastly more powerful system and is said to be similar in performance to the Google Gemini 3. This also is in line with the larger agreement between Apple and Google where Gemini will serve as the intelligence layer of various future Apple AI-based features where Apple would design the overall experience and user interface on top. Overall, the shift marks a clear evolution in Apple AI strategy, prioritising system-wide intelligence over standalone AI apps.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.