Apple considers outsourcing Siri's brainpower to OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude

Apple is reportedly in serious discussions with top AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic, contemplating a significant revamp of Siri that could shift its reliance away from in-house AI development. The tech titan is considering integrating external large language models (LLMs) to enhance future versions of its voice assistant, which could signal a transformative change in Apple's approach to generative AI. According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple has reached out to both OpenAI and Anthropic to customize and adapt their AI models for deployment on Apple’s cloud infrastructure. This strategy would enable Apple to maintain user privacy while harnessing the capabilities of more advanced third-party AI systems. Should this initiative come to fruition, it would represent a dramatic departure from Apple's longstanding commitment to developing its proprietary AI tools, referred to as Apple Foundation Models. The company has already earmarked billions for these models, which are expected to operate via the cloud by 2026. However, insiders suggest that Apple’s internal models are currently perceived as less effective than those offered by external competitors. Notable executives like Craig Federighi and John Giannandrea are reportedly becoming more receptive to collaborations that could expedite advancements in Siri's functionality. Plans are underway for a major update in 2026, coinciding with the release of iOS 26.4, which aims to enhance Siri's contextual understanding and enable it to perform more intricate, multi-step tasks based on on-screen information and user data. Despite ongoing discussions, no definitive decisions have been reached. An internal project dubbed "LLM Siri" is still progressing, potentially leading to a Siri powered entirely by Apple’s own AI technologies by 2025. However, the shift in strategy has created some internal friction, with reports indicating that a senior AI engineer at Apple recently departed, and other team members are expressing dissatisfaction over the company’s direction in generative AI. As competition for AI talent intensifies, with companies like Meta and OpenAI offering significantly higher salaries, Apple faces mounting pressure. Meta has unveiled a new division, Meta Superintelligence Labs, aimed at developing artificial general intelligence (AGI), aggressively recruiting from Apple’s rivals. Apple's consideration of third-party AI solutions reflects a trend already adopted by competitors, such as Samsung, which utilizes Google’s Gemini AI under its Galaxy AI branding, and Amazon, which has integrated Anthropic’s Claude to enhance its Alexa+ service. While Apple’s ultimate aim is to develop and operate its own AI models, the current focus is on quickly bridging the gap with competitors and ensuring Siri remains competitive against its Android rivals.