Apple has taken a major step in its artificial intelligence journey by making its new AI-powered Siri available through the iOS 27 Public Beta.

Previously limited to developers, the upgraded Siri can now be tested by everyday users before its official release later this year.

With more than 2.5 billion active Apple devices worldwide, this is expected to become one of the largest public AI assistant tests ever.

The new Siri is designed to compete directly with AI assistants like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Claude by offering faster responses, better context understanding, and deeper integration across Apple devices.

What’s New in Siri AI?

Apple has completely rebuilt Siri using Apple Intelligence, making it much smarter than previous versions.

The upgraded assistant can now:

  • Understand what’s currently displayed on your screen
  • Search through emails, photos, messages, and notes
  • Summarize conversations
  • Answer general knowledge questions
  • Understand follow-up questions naturally
  • Perform tasks across different Apple apps

Instead of acting like a basic voice assistant, Siri now works more like a modern AI chatbot while remaining deeply integrated into the iPhone.

Smarter Access Across Apple Devices

Users can still activate Siri by saying “Hey Siri” or pressing the side button.

Apple has also introduced new ways to launch Siri, including:

  • Swiping down from Dynamic Island
  • Accessing Siri directly through Spotlight Search
  • Using a dedicated Siri application

The new Siri is also available across Apple’s ecosystem, including:

  • iPhone
  • iPad
  • Mac
  • Apple Watch
  • Apple TV
  • CarPlay
  • AirPods
  • Vision Pro

This allows users to enjoy a consistent AI experience regardless of which Apple device they’re using.

Powered by Apple Intelligence

The upgraded assistant runs on Apple’s new Foundation Models, which combine on-device AI with Private Cloud Compute.

Apple says the system was developed using its own AI technology while also benefiting from research involving Google’s Gemini models during development.

Unlike many cloud-based AI services, Apple emphasizes that personal data stays protected. Sensitive requests are processed either directly on the device or securely through Private Cloud Compute, where user information is not stored.

Real-World Features

During early testing, Siri successfully handled several everyday tasks, including:

  • Finding specific photos in the photo library
  • Summarizing long group conversations
  • Adding appointments from text messages directly to the calendar
  • Identifying nutritional information using the camera
  • Answering current news and event-related questions

These improvements make Siri more useful for daily productivity instead of only performing basic commands.

Still a Beta

Although the public beta is stable enough for most users, Apple notes that some issues still remain.

Early testers reported occasional misunderstandings, incorrect search results, and temporary error messages. Since this is still beta software, users should expect occasional bugs until the final version launches.

Anyone who depends on their iPhone for critical work may prefer waiting for the official release expected later this year.

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