Apple reaches out to OpenAI, Anthropic to build out Siri technology

Apple’s many AI setbacks are now forcing the company to look at Anthropic and OpenAI for help powering its Siri voice assistant technology, according to a Bloomberg report.

The company has been building out its own AI technology called Apple Intelligence that it intends to use in Siri, but has also reached out to companies to develop alternatives that could be used instead.

Apple previously centered its AI-powered Siri around its home-grown technology. But over the past year or so it has  faced a variety of leadership and technological challenges developing Apple Intelligence, which is based on in-house foundation models. 

The more personalized Siri technology with more personalized AI-driven features is now due in 2026, according to a statement by Apple to Daring Fireball in March. But it was originally showcased last year and expected to be in users’ hands by now.

Siri already integrates technology from OpenAI’s ChatGPT and it is unusual for Apple to turn to outside vendors to build core features for its products.

A previous Bloomberg report in March said Apple did not provide the resources needed for the company to develop an AI-powered Siri. Apple had not focused on AI until OpenAI’s ChatGPT changed the tech landscape in late 2022, which set Apple (and other companies) scrambling.