In a major strategy shift, Apple is reportedly preparing to open Siri to a wide array of third-party AI models beyond its initial partnership with OpenAI. According to multiple reports from Bloomberg and 9to5Mac on March 26, the upcoming iOS 27 update will introduce an “Extensions” framework, allowing users to choose their preferred AI assistant—such as Google Gemini or Anthropic’s Claude—directly within Siri.
This move aims to transform Siri from a single-model assistant into a “gateway” or platform for diverse AI services, allowing the iPhone to act as a neutral hub for the global AI ecosystem.
1. The “Extensions” Framework
The core of this update is a new system that treats AI chatbots like “plugins” or extensions.
- User Choice: Instead of a hardcoded link to ChatGPT, a new Extensions menu in the “Apple Intelligence & Siri” settings will allow users to toggle between installed AI apps.
- Routing Queries: Users can designate specific assistants for different tasks. For example, you could set Claude to handle coding-related questions while using Gemini for travel planning, all triggered by saying “Ask Siri…”
- Standalone Siri App: Apple is also testing a dedicated Siri app (codenamed Campo) that functions like a traditional chatbot with a chat-bubble interface. This app will reportedly serve as the primary interface for managing these third-party extensions.
2. The Apple-Google “Gemini” Deal
While Siri is opening up to apps from the App Store, Apple has also struck a deeper, multi-billion dollar foundational deal with Google.
| Component | Partner | Role in 2026 |
| Cloud Infrastructure | Powering Apple’s Private Cloud Compute and core “Personal Intelligence” features. | |
| Foundation Models | Google Gemini | Used to retrain and supplement Apple’s on-device models for complex reasoning. |
| User-Facing Chat | OpenAI / Anthropic | Accessed via the new Extensions system for open-ended creative or technical prompts. |
The “Claude” Factor: Reports indicate Apple initially considered Anthropic’s Claude for its core foundational partner, but the deal fell through after Anthropic reportedly demanded “several billion dollars a year” with annual doubling, leading Apple to choose Google’s more cost-effective offer (estimated at $1B/year).
3. Monetization: The “AI Toll Road”
By opening Siri to third-party models, Apple is creating a massive new revenue stream for its Services division.
- App Store Commission: When a user subscribes to a premium AI service (like Gemini Advanced or Claude Pro) through the Siri interface, Apple will take its standard 15–30% cut.
- Distribution Advantage: For AI companies, being a “Siri Extension” offers instant access to over 1.5 billion active iPhone users, making it the most valuable distribution channel in the AI race.
4. Roadmap to WWDC 2026
Apple is expected to officially unveil this “Open Siri” vision at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 8, 2026.
- iOS 27 Preview: The Extensions framework and the standalone Siri app will be the headline features.
- Visual Intelligence: Siri is also gaining “screen awareness,” allowing it to see what you are looking at in any app and pass that context to your chosen AI extension for analysis.
- Device Support: These advanced features will likely be restricted to iPhone 15 Pro and later, and M-series iPads and Macs, due to the heavy on-device processing required for agentic AI.
“Apple isn’t trying to build the best single model anymore,” noted one industry analyst. “They are building the only interface that controls them all. They want to be the ‘operating system’ for the AI era.”
