Apple Unveils New Siri AI and Apple Intelligence Upgrades at WWDC 2026

Apple used its WWDC 2026 keynote to introduce a long awaited overhaul of Siri, marking what the company calls a major step forward for Apple Intelligence. The updated assistant is designed to feel more conversational, understand context across apps, and handle multi step tasks rather than simple one off commands.

Built in part on Google's Gemini technology, the new Siri will live in its own standalone app alongside its existing role inside iOS, giving users a dedicated space to interact with it much like they would with other AI chatbots. Apple says the assistant will be able to pull context from multiple apps at once, such as referencing details from Mail or Messages while a user is on a phone call, and offer smarter reply suggestions inside Messages.

Alongside Siri, Apple Intelligence is getting broader updates across the system, including improved tab management in Safari, simplified password updates, and expanded cross app awareness meant to make everyday tasks feel more automatic. A revamped Visual Intelligence feature is also being folded into the Camera app, giving users a dedicated mode for identifying objects and pulling up relevant information directly from what they are looking at.

The announcement comes after repeated delays to Siri's AI upgrade that drew criticism from analysts and users who felt Apple had fallen behind in the broader AI race. Industry watchers say the bar for improvement was low given Siri's limited functionality in recent years, though some caution that real world performance will determine whether the update changes user habits.

Apple framed the rollout as proof that AI can be woven into everyday device use without making chatbots the center of the experience, with executives describing the goal as letting artificial intelligence work quietly in the background rather than demanding constant attention from users.