Apple's Siri Finally Joins the AI Revolution - And It's About Time

Siri has been the butt of jokes for years. Apple's voice assistant, once a pioneering tech marvel, ended up lagging behind its competition. On Monday, Apple finally unveiled a revamped Siri, now equipped with AI capabilities. But is it too late?

A Long Time Coming

At Apple's 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference, VP of Engineering Mike Rockwell introduced 'Siri AI', a standalone app that marks a significant shift for Apple. This new iteration, set to launch in beta later this year, comes after Apple fell years behind in the AI race. The company had teased such advancements back in 2024, but delays pushed it to 2026. The gap between the keynote and the cubicle is enormous, and Apple's repeated delays highlight that.

Partnering with Google, Siri now taps into Google's Gemini to power its AI functionalities. This collaboration aims to make Siri more competitive, launching initially in English with other languages to follow. But with no initial release in the European Union or China, one has to wonder about Apple's global strategy.

New Features Galore

Rockwell demonstrated how Siri AI uses personal context to perform tasks like finding specific photos or addresses. This is no small feat. If done right, it could speed up workflows for countless users. Siri will also sport a new voice experience, promising to sound more expressive. Users can even tweak how expressive they want Siri to be. Finally, improvements in dictation accuracy could make voice commands far more reliable.

Aside from Siri, Apple plans to roll out more AI-powered features to enhance its ecosystem. From gathering context during calls to repositioning photo frames, Apple's aiming for a more integrated and intuitive user experience.

Tim Cook's Farewell

This WWDC was significant for another reason: it was CEO Tim Cook's last. Cook, who led Apple through transformative years, used this event to reflect on his tenure. "Imagination has no limits," he remarked, highlighting the creativity unleashed by Apple's tools.

Come September 1, John Ternus, Apple's hardware chief, will take over as CEO. As for Cook, closing his chapter with a significant AI announcement feels fitting. But the real story here's why it took so long for Apple to bring Siri into the AI age.

While Apple's late entry is significant, AI development is just part of a broader race. The tech giant needs to ensure that its internal adoption rate doesn't lag like its external rollout. Management bought the licenses. Nobody told the team. Will these enhancements resonate with users who’ve long relied on rival assistants? That's the question Apple needs to answer.