The Siri AI assistant is a new version of Apple’s virtual assistant powered by Apple Intelligence, the company announced on Monday.
This update introduces conversational capabilities, onscreen awareness, and personal context understanding across Apple devices. According to Apple, the system is designed to help users find information and perform actions across various applications.
System Integration and Capabilities
The updated assistant can answer questions related to content displayed on a user’s screen. Specifically, it searches across messages, emails, and photos to locate specific information like restaurant recommendations or flight details. Furthermore, developers can integrate their third-party applications with Spotlight to allow the assistant to access relevant local data.
Users can access the assistant through multiple methods depending on their device. On iPhone, users can swipe down from the Dynamic Island or press the side button to start a conversation. Meanwhile, Mac and iPad users can access the tool through Spotlight search or systemwide context menus.
Privacy Architecture and Models
Apple rebuilt the system using its new foundation models that run on-device and on servers via Private Cloud Compute. Consequently, the company stated that personal data is not stored or made accessible to Apple during server-side processing. In addition, independent experts can verify these privacy protections to ensure data security.
Features of the Siri AI Assistant
The Siri AI assistant includes a dedicated application that syncs conversation history privately across devices using iCloud. Additionally, the system introduces visual intelligence features to the Camera app on iPhone, allowing users to analyze physical objects. For example, users can take a photo to split a bill using Apple Cash or get nutritional information about food.
Writing tools are also integrated, allowing users to generate drafts, rewrite text, and proofread content across applications. Notably, the assistant can adapt its writing style to match the user’s typical communication tone with specific contacts.
Device Compatibility and Availability
The features are available for developer testing starting today, with a public beta release planned for later this year. However, the Siri AI assistant requires specific hardware, including iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 models, or newer devices. It also runs on iPads and Macs equipped with M1 chips or later, as well as Apple Vision Pro.
Initially, the service will support English, with plans to expand to other languages like French, German, and Chinese later. Notably, the features will not be available initially in the European Union or China due to regulatory requirements.