Apple tests next-gen Siri with ChatGPT-like app to improve user experience: Report

Apple Inc. has created a ChatGPT-style iPhone application to support the development of a major overhaul of its voice assistant, Siri, expected to launch next year, according to sources familiar with the matter, reported Bloomberg.

Veritas: Internal Testing Tool

The app, reportedly known internally as Veritas—Latin for “truth”—allows Apple employees to test new AI-driven features for Siri more efficiently. It is designed to handle tasks such as searching personal data, including emails and music, and performing in-app actions like editing photos. While currently for internal use only, the app represents a significant step in Apple’s push to revamp its voice assistant, the report noted.

According to the report, Veritas mimics popular chatbot formats, allowing multiple ongoing conversations, saving and referencing past chats, and supporting extended back-and-forth interactions. It is built on Apple’s new underlying system, Linwood, which combines the company’s proprietary large language models with technology from third-party AI providers.

Siri’s Delayed Launch

The report noted that the updated Siri is now scheduled for release as early as March, after previous delays caused by technical issues that reportedly led to features failing roughly a third of the time. A successful rollout could bolster Apple’s position in the competitive AI landscape, while shortcomings risk allowing rivals such as Google and Samsung Electronics to pull ahead.

Competition over AI capabilities is expected to intensify in the coming year, influencing smartphone purchasing decisions. Despite this, Apple avoided emphasising its in-house AI advancements when unveiling the iPhone 17 earlier this month.

Apple has also explored partnerships with major AI developers. Earlier talks with OpenAI and Anthropic were followed by advanced discussions with Google regarding deployment of a customised version of its Gemini AI platform.

Internally, the company has restructured its AI strategy, including the departure of AI chief John Giannandrea and some deputies, and the upcoming exit of Robby Walker, who oversaw Siri until the delays. Walker’s former team, now focused on AI-based search functions, is central to the development of the upgraded assistant.

Beyond Siri: AI in Other Devices

Beyond Siri, Apple is reportedly working on AI-driven enhancements for its HomePod speakers, Apple TV, and web search functionality. Chief Executive Tim Cook has called AI “the biggest transformation in decades” and emphasised the need for Apple to become a leader in the field.

The Veritas app, though not intended for public release, gives Apple a testing ground to evaluate how AI-powered conversation can improve device navigation and user interaction, paving the way for a more intelligent, responsive Siri interface.

(With inputs from Bloomberg)