Apple is trying to reboot its AI story by giving Siri a major upgrade—and hitching it to Google. At its Worldwide Developers Conference, the company unveiled a revamped "Siri AI" that behaves more like a modern chatbot, can be used via text or voice without the "Hey Siri" wake phrase, and can mine personal data on a device to do things like pull a friend's address from texts or organize photos by voice, the Wall Street Journal reports.
- "Truly helpful AI must be centered around you and your needs," Apple software chief Craig Federighi said, per Reuters. "This means integrating AI deep into the products you use every day, grounding it in your personal context and the apps you rely on, and designing it with privacy at every step. This is our vision for Apple Intelligence."
Apple said the most advanced AI features, including image generation, will be restricted to newer devices and in some cases to iCloud+ subscribers, citing high computing costs. The company confirmed it is relying on Google's Gemini to power key parts of the new system. Beyond Siri, Apple announced upgraded photo-editing tools, a new Mac operating system dubbed Golden Gate, and tweaks to its "Liquid Glass" design after complaints about readability, the Journal reports.
Apple also introduced child accounts with tighter, research-based parental controls aimed at age-appropriate access. The moves come as Apple seeks fresh revenue options and tries to recover from earlier, abandoned promises of a smarter Siri and a class-action settlement over its capabilities. This was Apple's last developers' conference with Tim Cook as CEO, the AP reports. He will turn the reins over to hardware chief John Ternus in September. Cook, who received a long standing ovation, told the crowd he was "deeply grateful to have been on this journey with you." "The energy around Apple platforms has never been stronger," he said
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