Apple has launched Siri AI in the consumer beta build of iOS 27, which became available in July. The updated AI assistant is designed to understand personal context, utilise broad world knowledge to answer questions, and retrieve relevant information stored on an iPhone.
Users can now engage in natural, back-and-forth conversations with Siri, with settings to adjust the expressivity and pacing of its voice responses. The assistant also offers the option to type interactions or use a dedicated app to reference past conversations.
Siri AI can assist with finding items such as photos, emails, contacts, texts, or calendar appointments, even when specific details are unclear. For example, it can locate a saved receipt without needing to know its storage location or purpose. The assistant can also extract information from photos, like a Driver's License number from an image, or launch websites and use apps for tasks such as getting directions, playing music, or drafting emails.
These improvements were made possible through Apple's partnership with Google, utilising its Gemini AI models to train and refine Apple's own proprietary Foundation Models. These models are designed to operate on Apple's Silicon and Private Cloud Compute infrastructure.