Siri, Apple’s faithful voice assistant, has been around for a while. But lately, she’s seemed a bit behind her rivals. While other companies show off smarter AI helpers, Apple has stuck to its own secret recipe. Now, it seems even Apple might need a little outside help to make Siri truly smart.
The latest whispers suggest Apple is considering a big move. They might license AI models from OpenAI or Anthropic. This would be a major shift for Apple, a company known for building everything in-house. Imagine Siri suddenly understanding you better, knowing what you need, and even helping you inside apps. Apple promised such a smart assistant at WWDC 2024, but its launch was delayed in March 2025.
Apple’s Cloud: A New Home for Outside AI?
According to sources at Bloomberg, Apple isn’t just looking for better AI. They want OpenAI and Anthropic to train special versions of their models. These models would run on Apple’s own secure servers, called Private Cloud Compute. This setup uses Apple’s own powerful processors. It handles tasks too big for your iPhone or iPad to process alone.
Apple already uses OpenAI’s ChatGPT for some parts of Apple Intelligence. But letting an outside company power Siri’s core would be a big deal. For years, Apple has prided itself on using its own AI tools, called Apple Foundation Models. They even planned for a new Siri based on this tech in 2026. At WWDC 2025, Apple even made these models available to other app makers.
Shifting Gears and Leaders at Apple
This potential change isn’t happening in a vacuum. Apple’s AI team has seen some shuffling at the top. John Giannandrea, who used to lead Apple’s AI strategy, has reportedly handed the reins to Craig Federighi. Federighi is the senior vice president of software engineering. Also, the Siri team now appears to be under the leadership of Mike Rockwell. He recently oversaw the creation of the Apple Vision Pro headset.
Learning from Competitors and Past Mistakes
If Apple partners with OpenAI or Anthropic, it would be a lot like Samsung’s current strategy. Samsung’s Galaxy AI uses some of its own software, but mostly relies on Google’s Gemini models. Starting with external partners doesn’t mean Apple can’t switch back later. Apple did something similar in 2012. It replaced its Maps app, which used Google’s data, with its own Apple Maps service. That switch was a bit bumpy at first, but it shows Apple is willing to change course.
The super-smart Siri won’t arrive until at least 2026. This autumn, with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26, Apple will release a smaller set of AI features. It seems we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see if Siri truly learns some new tricks.