Apple to pitch privacy in upcoming Siri chatbot revamp

Apple is expected to make privacy a central part of a revamped Siri at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, as the company tries to strengthen its position in AI.

The report said Apple plans to launch its first standalone Siri app, powered by Google Gemini, with a chatbot experience similar to ChatGPT but with tighter limits on how long user data is stored and used.

Siri may let users delete chats after 30 days or one year, while also noting Apple could use its privacy pitch to offset concerns that Siri trails rivals and that Google handles some of the underlying security, citing people familiar with the matter.

🔗 Source: TechCrunch

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Siri is moving beyond a standalone app

Apple appears to be turning Siri into an AI agent that works across apps. It is also testing a tighter link between Siri and system search, including a possible replacement for Spotlight, Apple’s built-in search tool 1.
This software layer could control other apps and use personal data from emails, messages, and notes to finish tasks 1.
The experience may reach beyond a single app. One option under test lets people swipe down to open a “Search or Ask” bar in the Dynamic Island, the interactive area at the top of newer iPhone screens 2.
Hardware support is still uncertain. One possibility is that the app needs Apple Intelligence support, such as an A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM, which would limit it to iPhone 15 Pro models or newer 3.

Apple is leaning on partners while shaping the AI layer

The rebuilt Siri may use Google’s Gemini AI model 2.
Apple is also testing a setup that lets people switch between Siri and outside AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini for search, alongside its effort to blend Siri with system search 2.
Another idea under test would treat AI models as swap-in parts through an “Extensions” system. It could also add a marketplace-style hub inside the App Store, though Apple has not confirmed those details 3.
Apple would keep control of the operating system tie-ins and the interface, which lets it make money from AI features without building every leading model itself 1.