Apple is gearing up to enhance its Siri voice assistant with the integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, bringing a host of new features and a revamped user interface. This upgrade is expected to be rolled out in the spring of 2025 as part of the iOS 18.4 release.
Some of the key improvements that users can anticipate include Siri’s ability to perform more complex tasks by directly accessing iOS applications. For instance, users will be able to edit a photo and share it with a contact simply by using voice commands. Furthermore, Siri will become more proficient at understanding the context on the screen, which will significantly enhance user interactions.
Developers will have the opportunity to test the advanced features of Siri starting in January 2025, with a projected public release in spring 2025 alongside iOS 18.4. Apple is taking a phased approach to the rollout, allowing developers ample time to integrate and test these new capabilities thoroughly.
This move by Apple comes at a time when Amazon is also making strides in advancing its Alexa assistant. With reports suggesting that Amazon may introduce a new version of Alexa powered by an AI Large Language Model (LLM) as part of a subscription service, priced between $5 and $10 monthly.
By incorporating AI technologies like ChatGPT into Siri, Apple aims to revolutionize user interactions with their devices. The new capabilities of Siri are poised to make it a more efficient tool for everyday tasks and productivity, with the potential to transform how users engage with their devices. Apple has not disclosed whether a subscription model will be adopted for Siri’s new AI features, similar to Amazon’s approach.