Apple might soon team up with OpenAI or Anthropic to give Siri a much-needed AI upgrade.
According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple is testing external AI models on its own cloud systems to see if they could power a smarter Siri. The company is reportedly still deciding between using a model like ChatGPT, Claude, or one of its own in-house models.
Why Is Apple Exploring Outside Help?
For a while now, Apple’s been working on an AI-powered version of Siri. Internally, they call it “LLM Siri” — short for “Large Language Model Siri.” It was supposed to launch earlier this year, but the company pushed it back, saying the tech wasn’t quite ready.
After some setbacks, Apple made a major leadership change. They put Mike Rockwell, the former head of Vision Pro, in charge of the Siri and AI teams. The idea was to bring fresh energy and stronger direction to the project.
Siri Is Being Tested Against AI Giants
So what’s happening now?
Apple is trying out three major AI models:
- Anthropic’s Claude
- OpenAI’s ChatGPT
- Google’s Gemini
All of them are being tested to see how well they handle simple voice commands — things like setting reminders, answering questions, or giving directions. Early results reportedly show that Claude (from Anthropic) is performing the best so far.
Still, Apple isn’t ruling out its own models just yet. It’s comparing everything side by side before making any decisions.
Other Players Are on Apple’s Radar Too
Apple isn’t only testing models — it’s also thinking bigger.
According to Bloomberg, Apple has talked about possibly acquiring Perplexity, a newer AI search startup. Perplexity already works with Motorola and could bring a different kind of AI power to Apple’s toolkit.
Meanwhile, Samsung is already using Google’s AI tools, and Google’s Gemini AI is baked into Android and Pixel phones. Apple is clearly feeling the pressure to catch up — or leap ahead.
Siri’s No-Show at Apple’s WWDC
Many expected a big Siri announcement at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. But that didn’t happen.
Instead, Apple admitted the AI version of Siri still wasn’t where it needed to be. Greg Joswiak, Apple’s marketing chief, openly said the model “didn’t hit our quality standard.”
That kind of honesty is rare for Apple — and it says a lot about how tricky AI development can be, even for a company like Apple.
What’s Next for Siri?
Right now, nothing is final. Apple is still running tests, weighing its options, and thinking through what kind of AI future it wants for Siri.
There are three possibilities:
- Use Anthropic’s Claude — the front-runner in current tests.
- Partner with OpenAI or Google — both are proven leaders.
- Stick with its own AI model — if it can meet quality standards in time.
Whatever Apple decides, the move could reshape how Siri works — and how useful it is in everyday life.
In Short: What You Should Know
- Apple is exploring AI partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic to upgrade Siri.
- Internal testing shows Anthropic’s Claude is currently leading.
- Apple may also consider buying Perplexity, a rising AI search startup.
- Siri’s new version was delayed earlier this year and was missing from WWDC.
- Final decisions haven’t been made, but Apple is actively testing all its options.
Final Thoughts
Apple usually prefers to build its own tools. But with AI evolving fast, the company might need to lean on proven partners like OpenAI or Anthropic to keep up.
Siri has long lagged behind Alexa and Google Assistant. But that could soon change. If Apple picks the right AI engine, Siri might finally become the smart, helpful assistant users have been waiting for.
Stay tuned — the next version of Siri could be the most powerful one yet.