Apple Considers OpenAI and Anthropic to Power Upgraded Siri

Apple is considering enlisting the help of OpenAI or Anthropic to power its AI-upgraded Siri, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The company has been facing challenges in developing an enhanced version of its voice assistant, leading it to test third-party large language models (LLMs) on its private cloud infrastructure.

For months, Apple has been working to get its AI-enhanced Siri back on track after delaying the overhauled assistant’s launch in March. After CEO Tim Cook lost confidence in the team’s former chief, John Giannandrea, Vision Pro head Mike Rockwell was appointed as the new leader of AI and Siri.

Rockwell has tasked his team with testing whether Anthropic’s Claude, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, or Google’s Gemini performs better at handling basic requests compared to Apple’s own models. According to Bloomberg, Anthropic’s Claude is seen as the most promising option. Google has already integrated Gemini AI features into Android and its Pixel lineup, while Samsung is reportedly close to a deal with Perplexity for AI features on its phones.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Apple executives had considered acquiring Perplexity to bolster its AI ambitions. However, LLM Siri was notably absent from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) earlier this month, where SVP of worldwide marketing Greg Joswiak admitted that the technology “didn’t hit our quality standard.”

Apple’s plans to incorporate a third-party AI model into Siri are still at an early stage, and the company is also considering using in-house models. The decision to bring in external AI providers reflects Apple’s commitment to delivering a high-quality user experience with its voice assistant, even if it means leveraging external expertise.