Will Apple Shed Its "AI Latecomer" Label? Strategic Shift to Siri Chatbot Powered by Gemini

Siri to Be Overhauled as an AI Chatbot in iOS 27
Understands Context During Conversations
Seamless Communication via Text and Voice
Powered by Google's Gemini Model

Apple, which had previously been labeled as a "latecomer" in artificial intelligence (AI), is preparing to strike back in the smartphone AI race. The company plans to revamp its voice assistant Siri into an AI-powered conversational chatbot, meaning what is being called an "Apple version of ChatGPT" will likely be installed on devices such as the iPhone. With competing smartphones like Samsung Electronics' Galaxy series already integrating AI into their operating systems (OS), this move is seen as Apple’s determination not to fall behind in the AI competition.

Apple Siri to Be Revamped as an AI Chatbot... Strategic Shift

On January 22 (local time), Bloomberg reported that Apple is preparing an OS overhaul under the code name "Campos." Once the overhaul is complete, Siri will be able to understand context during conversations with users and communicate seamlessly between text and voice. As before, users will be able to activate Siri by holding down the voice or side button. Apple plans to unveil this feature at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC26) to be held in June, and to apply it to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 27, which will be released in September.

Currently, Siri is considered less capable than competing services in understanding the context of conversations with users. While Apple announced in 2024 that it would introduce a "more personalized Siri" that can fulfill user requests across multiple apps with the launch of its generative AI service "Apple Intelligence," the release has been repeatedly delayed due to difficulties in AI development. At present, Siri responds to complex user requests by routing them through OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Given these challenges in developing its own AI models and services, Apple appears to have decided to modify its strategy and evolve Siri into a chatbot. Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, stated in an interview last June, "We did not want users to have to move to a separate chat environment for feature processing."

For the core of its AI services, the large language model (LLM), Apple has also chosen to utilize the model of its biggest competitor, Google. On January 12, the two companies issued a joint statement announcing that they had signed an agreement to build Apple's next-generation AI foundation model based on Google’s Gemini model and cloud technology. As a result, Apple Intelligence, Siri, and other Apple AI services are expected to run on Gemini-based models starting with the iOS 26.4 version, which will be released later this year.

Apple Siri vs. Galaxy Bixby

Apple devices running Apple Intelligence. Provided by Apple

Given that Google’s Gemini is considered powerful enough to challenge OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which had previously dominated the field, there is speculation that if it is fully integrated into the iPhone, Apple will be able to compete on equal footing with Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy series, which has been a leader in AI smartphones. An industry insider commented, "While equipping devices with high-performance AI models is important, optimizing them to function properly within the device is also a key technology. The main point will be how well Apple implements Gemini-based AI services."

Samsung Electronics is also equipping its Galaxy smartphones with its own LLM, "Gauss," as well as new models beyond Google’s Gemini. According to the IT industry, Samsung plans to install a model from Perplexity in the AI assistant service "Bixby" on Galaxy smartphones. Bixby powered by Perplexity will be introduced starting with the Galaxy S26 series, which is scheduled to be unveiled next month. With Gemini integrated into the Android-based Galaxy OS, users can utilize a variety of features such as conversational search, image generation, and schedule management.

Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly developing a wearable AI device in the form of a safety pin, targeting a 2027 launch. The device is expected to be similar in size to Apple’s AirTag, its location-tracking IoT device, and will include a camera, speaker, and microphone in a coin-sized form factor. This device is anticipated to allow users to record or interact with their daily lives. It is expected to compete with an audio-based AI device that OpenAI is reportedly preparing.