SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 22, 2026, 02:55 PST
- Bloomberg reports that Apple is set to transform Siri into a built-in AI chatbot.
- The update plans to introduce text and voice chat, overhauling the existing Siri interface.
- Apple’s move depends on Google’s Gemini, coming as competitors ramp up the speed of their AI assistants.
Apple is set to transform Siri into a built-in AI chatbot, marking a major shift for the voice assistant that’s fallen behind newer, more conversational rivals. The overhauled Siri, known internally as “Campos,” will be integrated throughout iPhone, iPad, and Mac software, replacing the existing Siri interface, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday. (Bloomberg)
Why this matters now: chatbots have raised the bar for assistants, pushing users to expect extended conversations and instant drafting or summarizing capabilities. Since Siri is embedded in Apple’s flagship devices, changes to its functionality can quickly influence both user habits and developers’ approaches.
The report arrives just before Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, where the company usually unveils major software updates. A chatty Siri would clearly signal Apple’s readiness to overhaul a core feature, not just add small tweaks.
According to Bloomberg, users would continue activating the assistant as they do now—by saying “Siri” or holding down the side button. What changes is the experience itself: a chatbot-style interface that accepts both voice and typed input, much like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini.
Apple software chief Craig Federighi had earlier dismissed turning Siri into a chatbot, stating he preferred AI features “integrated so it’s there within reach whenever you need it,” according to TechCrunch. But the outlet reports that Apple changed course after facing pressure from rival chatbots’ success, delays in creating a “more personalized Siri,” and a search for an external AI partner. Apple tested systems from OpenAI and Anthropic before ultimately choosing Google’s Gemini. (TechCrunch)
Business Insider described Apple’s move as a strategic gamble, betting that AI models will soon become interchangeable “commodities.” Instead of competing to build the priciest AI, Apple is zeroing in on interface, distribution, and product integration. The report claims Apple is overhauling Siri around Google’s Gemini and engineering the system so it can switch AI providers down the line. Apple is reportedly shelling out about $1 billion annually for this deal with Google. (Business Insider)
Some investors are already seeing the Siri overhaul as a near-term trigger. Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, weighed in on social media, citing Bloomberg’s report and saying, “Gurman is right 90% of the time. You can take this to the bank,” Benzinga reports. (Benzinga)
The competition is straightforward. OpenAI and Google have rolled out chatbot products gaining ground in search, writing, and planning tasks. Microsoft has integrated AI assistants directly into its software. Apple seems to be banking on a different approach: leveraging iOS and macOS to reach users rather than outspending those building the models.
But the plan isn’t without risks. Apple has already delayed parts of its Siri upgrade timeline, and launching a new interface simultaneously on iPhone and Mac is a major challenge. Linking core assistant features to an outside model also forces Apple to confront a fundamental question publicly: how much it can rely on a partner while still upholding its usual commitments to privacy and control.
So far, none of these changes are set in stone. The next hint might drop at WWDC this June, where Apple faces pressure to prove Siri can finally chat like a modern assistant—and handle more than just timers.
