Apple (AAPL) unveiled its long-delayed AI-powered version of its Siri digital assistant at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday in Cupertino, Calif.
The new Siri, called Siri AI, includes a variety of upgrades that bring it closer to AI helpers like OpenAI’s (OPAI.PVT) ChatGPT and Google’s (GOOG, GOOGL) Gemini, enabling users to have back-and-forth conversations and complete tasks.
It’s the biggest update to Apple’s digital assistant in years, turning it into a kind of AI hub for your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Ahead of the announcement, Apple’s SVP of software engineering, Craig Federighi, framed the new Siri and Apple Intelligence updates as more purposeful than those of other companies that add AI for the sake of saying they use the technology.
Powered by Google’s own Gemini AI model , Siri AI is more conversational than its predecessor and gets its own dedicated app and customizable voice options.
Apple demonstrated how chats now work with Siri, showing off how you can ask when an artist you like is performing nearby. The assistant will then provide you with upcoming tour dates and set a reminder for them. The company then showed how you can quickly ask Siri to play a single by the artist.
You can also ask Siri for pictures you’ve taken in different locations, then further narrow down your search to particular scenes you’re looking for without having to open the Photos app.
Apple says you’ll also be able to ask Siri questions about topics friends and family send via Messages and get the information you need without having to endlessly scroll through your chats.
On the Mac, you can communicate with the new Siri via the Spotlight Search dialogue box. In one example of Siri on the Mac, Apple demonstrated using the assistant to find out more information about files on your computer.
Say you’re shopping for a new shed and have multiple files outlining the differences in various formats, you can highlight them and ask Siri to compare them, and it will create a chart outlining how they differ. You can then order the shed by telling Siri to draft an email via a prompt.
The dedicated Siri app, meanwhile, allows you to dig into previous conversations or start new ones. Conversations are also accessible across the iPhone, Mac, and iPad.
You’ll also be able to access Siri via your camera, letting you take a picture of a meal to get nutritional information, or snap a shot of a dinner bill and split it with your friends.
Writing Tools also allows you to write documents with Siri by giving it a prompt. The assistant can similarly critique your writing when prompted.
