• Apple may partner with OpenAI or Anthropic to power the next-gen Siri, pushing internal AI efforts aside as it seeks more natural, human-like responses by 2026.
• Siri’s upgrade delay and reliance on third-party AI spark concerns over Apple’s innovation lag and potential privacy trade-offs despite its strong data protection stance.
• WWDC 2025 underwhelmed on AI reveals, prompting scrutiny of Apple’s AI strategy as it scrambles to catch up with rivals through external alliances.

Apple's artificial intelligence plans seem to be running into roadblocks, leading the tech giant to consider reaching out for external assistance to boost its voice assistant, Siri. Apple has been reportedly looking to partner with top AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic to drive the next version of Siri pushed back to 2026. The development means Apple would no longer use internal efforts to develop its large language models. Instead, the company could integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude to provide Siri with more natural and conversational abilities. These advanced models would support tasks like improved contextual understanding and more human-like responses.

At the WWDC 2025 keynote in June, many anticipated a major AI announcement from Apple, but the event fell short of expectations. Now, Apple appears to be catching up, with more emphasis on the integration of external AI models and the polishing of the rest of its platform. Apple has already added ChatGPT to iPhones under a partnership with OpenAI. Integrating it deeper into either OpenAI or Anthropic could result in Siri responses being driven completely by one of these platforms. This configuration could also include the transmission of some user information to other servers, something that would potentially conflict with Apple's long time privacy policy.

With its history as a leader in innovation, Apple's use of third-party AI may create concerns. Some have said that a company with Apple's size and capabilities should not need to rely on outside technology in order to establish its main strengths. Any potential agreement with OpenAI or Anthropic will likely require that Siri’s AI enhancements run via Apple’s own secure data centers, ensuring user privacy remains intact. Apple has repeatedly emphasized this commitment to safeguarding personal data something that could complicate negotiations with external AI providers.

Meanwhile, Apple’s AI strategy has come under increasing scrutiny. In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, executives Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak were asked directly why Siri lags behind competitors. Their responses offered little clarity. Some insiders suggest Federighi’s reluctance to embrace the AI trend may have contributed to Apple’s slow pace in the space. Though Apple's shift towards outside alliances can appear as a reaction, it might be a realistic effort to bridge the AI gap without sacrificing its fundamental principles. Whether it results in a reinvented, more powerful Siri or additional questions concerning Apple's vision for AI remains to be answered.