Why Siri’s upgrade could help Apple attract more users

Siri responding to a question

Apple is reportedly planning a major upgrade to Siri, aiming to transform the voice assistant into a full-fledged artificial intelligence chatbot that could compete with platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, Bloomberg has reported.

The move comes amid increasing pressure on Apple to strengthen its position in the fast-evolving AI market, following criticism that Apple Intelligence, unveiled earlier this year, did not meet some users’ expectations.

Apple has confirmed that Siri will be powered by Google’s Gemini models. However, the company is reportedly developing a more ambitious, internally built chatbot intended to exceed Siri’s current capabilities.

The new system, internally known as “Campos,” is expected to launch before the end of the year. Unlike Siri’s current voice-based model, Campos is being developed as a conversational chatbot that can interact with users through both voice and text, similar to other generative AI assistants available today.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple plans to restructure Siri into this chatbot format later in the year.

However, the chatbot is not expected to be part of the Siri update scheduled for iOS 26.4, which is anticipated to bring incremental improvements to Apple Intelligence.

Instead, Campos is expected to arrive in a later update and serve as a key feature of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.

Apple is reportedly expected to unveil the chatbot at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, with a public release anticipated in September.

Campos is said to be designed to extend beyond Siri’s current functions. In addition to searching, summarizing information, and generating content, the chatbot is expected to be integrated across Apple’s ecosystem, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and several native apps such as Photos and Music.

A notable feature reportedly includes the ability to analyze on-screen content. Campos may be able to interpret what a user is viewing, such as an open browser window or document, and make contextual suggestions or complete tasks based on that information.

The system is also expected to access personal data, including files and media, to help users locate content more efficiently.

The chatbot is also expected to be able to control device settings, launch apps, and automate certain functions, representing a shift toward a more proactive and system-level AI assistant.

Apple is reportedly relying on Google’s Gemini technology for Siri, but Campos is said to run on a custom Google-based model internally referred to as Apple Foundation Model version 11. The upcoming Siri update in iOS 26.4 is expected to use Apple Foundation Model version 10.

Apple is reportedly designing Campos with modular AI architecture, which would allow the underlying models to be swapped in the future. This could provide the company with flexibility to reduce or eliminate reliance on Google’s technology if it develops or acquires more advanced in-house AI models.

If successfully implemented, Campos would represent a significant shift for Apple, positioning Siri as a more central conversational interface across Apple devices.