Apple has unveiled Siri AI, a redesigned version of its voice assistant that it says is more conversational, more capable and more deeply woven into its devices. The update, announced Monday, is powered by Apple Intelligence and will first be available to developers for testing, with a beta release planned for users later this year.
The company says the new assistant can do more than answer routine questions. Siri AI is built to understand what is on a user’s screen, draw on context from messages, email and photos, and pull information from the web to respond to questions on a wide range of topics. Apple says the system is designed to help users find information and complete tasks more naturally across apps and devices.
Apple says Siri AI has been rebuilt with a new architecture intended to make the assistant more useful while keeping privacy protections in place. The company says requests that are handled through Private Cloud Compute do not store personal data or make it accessible to Apple or third parties. Some functions also run fully on device, including elements tied to Spotlight and app tools.
The new Siri is meant to work across the company’s ecosystem. On iPhone, users can still say “Hey Siri,” but can also activate the assistant with the side button or by swiping down from the Dynamic Island. On iPad and Mac, Siri AI is integrated into Spotlight, while systemwide context menus let users ask about text, files or images on screen. On Apple Vision Pro, Apple says the assistant can appear as a 3D object in space and be triggered by looking at it and speaking.
Apple Watch, CarPlay and AirPods also get access to the updated assistant, giving users more ways to start a conversation while on the move. The company says Watch users can launch Siri directly from the wrist or continue a recent conversation through Smart Stack suggestions.
A central part of the upgrade is personal context. Apple says Siri AI can search across a user’s content to surface information such as a restaurant recommendation sent in a message, a hotel confirmation buried in email or photos from a recent trip. The company also says that support can extend to third-party apps when developers connect through Spotlight.
Apple is also expanding visual and image-based capabilities. On iPhone, Siri mode is built into the Camera app, allowing users to point the camera at something and ask for help or action. Apple says this can be used for tasks such as splitting a bill with Apple Cash or checking nutritional information about food.
Visual Intelligence, which lets Siri interpret images and other visual content, is also coming to iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro. Apple says the broader rollout is part of its effort to make Siri more aware of both the digital and physical environment around the user.
Apple is adding a dedicated Siri app that stores conversation history across devices through iCloud, so users can pick up a discussion on another product. The company says this is meant to make it easier to revisit previous exchanges or continue a task started elsewhere.
For devices with Apple’s most advanced on-device model, Siri AI also brings more expressive voices and improved dictation. Apple says users can adjust the voice’s pace and expressiveness, while dictation now handles capitalization, punctuation and formatting with greater accuracy.
The company is positioning Siri AI as a major step forward for its assistant, one that combines more natural conversation with systemwide actions and privacy safeguards. Apple says the features begin with developer testing now and will reach users in beta later this year.