Apple Considers Anthropic and OpenAI to Power New Siri Version

Apple is considering using artificial intelligence technology from Anthropic or OpenAI to power a new version of Siri, instead of relying on its own in-house models. Shares of the iPhone maker, which had traded down earlier in the session, closed 2% higher on Monday.

Apple has had discussions with both companies about using their large language models for Siri, asking them to train versions of their LLMs that could run on Apple's cloud infrastructure for testing. The investigation into third-party models is at an early stage, and the company has not made a final decision on using them.

Amazon-backed Anthropic declined to comment, while Apple and OpenAI did not respond to Reuters requests. The company had in March said AI improvements to its voice assistant Siri will be delayed until 2026, without giving a reason for the setback.

Apple shook up its executive ranks to get its AI efforts back on track after months of delays, resulting in Mike Rockwell taking charge of Siri, as CEO Tim Cook lost confidence in AI head John Giannandrea's ability to execute on product development, Bloomberg reported in March.

At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month, Apple focused more on incremental developments that improve everyday life — including live translations for phone calls — rather than the sweeping ambitions for AI that Apple's rivals are capitalizing on. Apple software chief Craig Federighi had then said it is opening up the foundational AI model that the iPhone maker uses for some of its own features to third-party developers, and that the company will offer both its own and OpenAI's code completion tools in its key Apple developer software.

This move could signal a significant shift in Apple's approach to AI, potentially accelerating the development and deployment of advanced AI capabilities in its products. The decision to explore third-party models reflects the competitive landscape in the tech industry, where companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are making rapid advancements in AI technology.

Apple's consideration of Anthropic and OpenAI highlights the company's commitment to staying at the forefront of technological innovation. While the discussions are still in the early stages, the potential collaboration could lead to significant improvements in Siri's capabilities, enhancing user experience and maintaining Apple's competitive edge in the market.