Apple first promised an AI-powered Siri with the release of iOS 18 in 2024. It's taken two years, but iOS 27 is finally delivering on that promise with Siri AI, a completely rebuilt version of Siri powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence.
Apple has rebuilt Siri from the ground up to create a back-and-forth assistant that actually knows who you are, understands what's on your screen, and can go find answers on the web when it doesn't already have them. It also includes a new Siri app that syncs conversations across all your Apple devices, and new writing tools that recognizes your voice and style.
Siri AI is slated for release this fall with iOS 27 to compatible devices.
Which iPhones support Siri AI?
Siri AI requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model or later. The most advanced features, including expressive voices and the upgraded dictation, require an iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, or iPhone 17 Pro Max. It is likely the expected upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models and iPhone Fold will also support Siri AI.
How Siri AI works
Image: Apple
According to Apple's announcement, Siri AI is built around three core capabilities:
- Personal context understanding: Siri can now dig into your device's data to answer questions. Ask it to find the restaurant a friend recommended in a text, pull up a hotel confirmation number buried in your inbox, or surface photos from a recent trip, and it should be able to do it.
- Broad world knowledge: Siri can go out to the web for up-to-date answers on virtually any topic. When it access information off your device, Apple still protects your data privacy and only shares what is necessary to answer your question.
- Onscreen awareness: Siri can see what's currently on your screen and answer questions about it.
These features work through natural back-and-forth conversation, typed or spoken. You can follow up, ask clarifying questions, and extend responses when needed.
The new Siri app
history across all your Apple devices.
Image: Apple
iOS 27 introduces a dedicated Siri app for the first time. It's where you can start new conversations or pick up old ones, and it syncs your full conversation history across all your Apple devices via iCloud, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro.
This means you can start a research thread on your Mac, continue it on your iPhone while you're out, and everything stays in context. It's the kind of continuity Apple has built into iMessage and Handoff for years, now applied to Siri conversations.
Writing tools
Siri AI brings writing assistance to virtually anywhere you type on your iPhone. Describe what you need and it can generate a draft from scratch. Describe a change and it updates accordingly. It also automatically proofreads as you type across the system, including inside most third-party apps.
When drafting in Mail or Messages, Siri is supposed to adapt to how you normally write with each contact, matching your usual tone, punctuation, and format. It knows that you send your boss short bullet points and friends informal messages.
Siri AI: FAQ
When is Siri AI coming out?
Siri AI arrives with iOS 27, expected to release in fall 2026. Apple has already begun developer testing, with a public beta to follow later in the year. If Apple holds to its usual schedule, we expect the full release should land around mid-September alongside the iPhone 18 lineup.
Is Siri AI the same as ChatGPT or other AI assistants?
No. Siri AI is built on Apple's own Apple Intelligence models. It isn't routing your questions and tasks through another AI system. The key difference between Siri AI and other AI assistants is Apple is emphasizing privacy. Processing happens on-device or through Private Cloud Compute, meaning your personal data isn't stored by Apple or shared with third parties. Other AI assistants—like ChatGPT or Gemini—primarily use online servers that share more personal data.
Will Siri AI replace the current Siri entirely?
Yes, Siri AI is a full replacement for the existing Siri, but only for compatible devices. On older iPhones that don't meet the hardware requirements, the current version of Siri will remain in place.
Can I use Siri AI on my iPad or Mac?
Yes. Siri AI is coming to iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 as well. On iPad and Mac, it's integrated into Spotlight, so you can search for answers across almost any topic from the same place you search for files and apps.
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer
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