Apple unveils Siri AI makeover as Tim Cook bids farewell

Apple revealed a significant AI overhaul for Siri at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), marking Tim Cook’s final major event as CEO before his September departure. The new Siri AI integrates past user interactions, image recognition, and broad-world knowledge to deliver a more conversational and functional experience. Apple emphasized privacy, stating its approach avoids 'AI for the sake of AI' and instead centers on user needs. A beta version will launch later this year for English-speaking devices, excluding the EU due to regulatory hurdles. The update follows criticism that Apple lagged behind competitors in AI innovation. Siri AI will work across Apple products and apps, accompanied by a dedicated interface similar to OpenAI and Anthropic’s offerings. Apple also partnered with Google to develop its foundation models using Google’s Gemini technology and cloud infrastructure. Alongside Siri’s upgrade, Apple introduced trust and safety enhancements in iOS 27, including expanded parental controls. The 'Ask' feature now requires approval before children can communicate with unknown contacts, and the system will automatically block flagged inappropriate images. These measures aim to address past criticism from child safety advocates, though protests outside WWDC highlighted ongoing concerns, including demands to remove 'nudification' apps and child sexual abuse material from iCloud. Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, framed the changes as a commitment to privacy and user empowerment. Analysts noted the company must now prove its AI and safety improvements deliver meaningful improvements beyond rival offerings. The beta release will test user reactions, with full deployment dependent on regulatory approvals and technical execution.