Apple has released the third developer beta of iOS 27 today, giving UK testers an early look at customisable controls for Siri’s speaking pace and expressivity. The new sliders, previously marked as ‘Coming soon’, allow users to adjust how quickly Siri talks and how much human-like emotion its voice conveys. As users tweak the settings, Siri will practice common phrases such as ‘You have one new message’ to help them hear the effect.
The update is part of Apple’s broader effort to rebuild Siri around generative AI, making the assistant feel more personal and natural. First previewed at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 26) in June, the voice controls let users choose from a range of accents and then fine-tune speed and expressivity, moving beyond the traditional male or female voice selection. Siri can now be accessed by speaking, typing via the Dynamic Island, tapping the side button, or through a new standalone Siri app.
Competitors have already moved further in this direction. OpenAI’s ChatGPT introduced voice customisation for warmth and enthusiasm in December 2025, alongside options to set the assistant’s style to friendly, professional, candid, or quirky. These settings affect not only how the AI speaks but also how it presents information. For UK businesses exploring AI-driven customer service or internal tools, such customisation could improve user engagement, though it also raises questions about data privacy and regulatory compliance.
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) continues to monitor AI voice assistants under data protection laws, while the EU AI Act imposes stricter requirements on high-risk AI systems, including those used in consumer-facing products. Apple’s incremental approach may help it meet evolving standards, but experts caution that deeper personalisation could amplify risks around bias and manipulation. ‘Giving users control over tone is a step forward, but companies must ensure these systems don’t inadvertently reinforce stereotypes or mislead vulnerable users,’ said Dr. Elena Rossi, a digital ethics researcher at the University of Cambridge.
For UK consumers, the update promises a more tailored Siri experience, potentially making the assistant feel less robotic and more responsive to individual preferences. However, some beta testers have reported losing access to the new Siri after updating, or seeing their phone re-index data — a process that optimises Siri AI for search but can temporarily slow performance. Apple has not commented on these reports, but the issues are likely to be addressed before the public release later this year.