Apple will allow third-party AI chatbots like Claude and Gemini to power Siri responses starting with iOS 27, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new "Extensions" feature lets users enable or disable specific AI models downloaded from the App Store, moving beyond Siri's current exclusive integration with OpenAI's ChatGPT. The system will work across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, plus Apple's upcoming standalone Siri app designed for cross-app actions.
This marks Apple's biggest shift toward AI model neutrality since launching Apple Intelligence. While Google and Apple struck a deal for Gemini integration in January — reportedly including rights to use Gemini for training smaller models — this Extensions approach suggests Apple is hedging against any single AI provider. It's smart positioning as the AI landscape fragments and users develop preferences for different models based on specific tasks.
What Bloomberg's report doesn't address is how Apple will handle the technical complexity of routing queries to different models, or whether developers will get APIs to build their own Siri integrations. The timing also raises questions — iOS 27 puts this feature at least 18 months out, assuming Apple's typical release cadence. That's an eternity in AI development cycles.
For developers, this could finally crack open Siri's closed ecosystem. If Apple provides proper APIs alongside the consumer-facing Extensions, we might see custom AI agents designed specifically for Siri integration. The real test will be whether Apple maintains the same level of privacy and on-device processing that currently distinguishes Siri from always-listening alternatives.