Apple’s annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) is set to kick off on June 10, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI). One of the key features expected to be upgraded is the voice assistant Siri, which will reportedly undergo a transformational overhaul. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Siri will be equipped with more advanced AI technology, allowing users to control individual app functions with their voice using large language models (LLMs).
Siri, which was once groundbreaking but has fallen behind its competitors in recent years, will be the main highlight of the upcoming iOS 18 release. While the specifics of which devices will benefit from these changes remain unclear, it is expected that Siri will be able to perform a wide range of tasks with more precision, such as opening documents, moving notes, sending emails, and summarizing articles – all with voice commands.
In addition to the iPhone, these advancements in Siri are also expected to extend to the iPad and Mac. Initially, the feature will be limited to Apple’s own apps, with plans to support hundreds of different commands. The announcement of these updates is expected to happen during WWDC but will be integrated into a subsequent update to iOS 18, according to Gurman.
Beyond the improvements to Siri, other AI features are also in the works for iOS 18. Voice memo transcription, automated message replies, advanced photo editing, and website recaps are among the new features that users can look forward to. Some of the more advanced AI tasks will require a connection to the cloud, while basic tasks will be handled on-device to ensure user privacy – a core focus for Apple.
Apple’s software boss, Craig Federighi, has reportedly directed his teams to develop as many new AI features as possible for this year’s operating system updates. With a strong focus on AI and Siri enhancements, WWDC is shaping up to be an exciting event for Apple users. Stay tuned for more announcements and updates as the conference gets underway on June 10.
