Apple is working on a major upgrade to Siri that will transform it from a basic voice assistant into an AI-powered search tool. The new feature, called “World Knowledge Answers” inside Apple, aims to rival chatbots like ChatGPT and search tools from Google and Perplexity.
Set to launch in spring 2026 with iOS 26.4, this revamped Siri will work as an “answer engine” that can pull information directly from across the web. Instead of just sending users to Google search results, Siri will create summaries blending text, photos, videos, and local points of interest.
“This has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than we envisioned,” Apple software chief Craig Federighi told employees at a company meeting last month.
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The new Siri will be built on three main systems: a planner that understands what you’re asking, a search system that looks through both the web and your device, and a summarizer that delivers the final answer.
Apple recently signed a formal agreement with Google to test a custom Gemini AI model that could power parts of Siri’s new capabilities. Apple is also testing models from Anthropic (creator of Claude AI) and its own in-house AI models. For personal data searches, Apple plans to use only its own Foundation Models to protect privacy.
This search upgrade is part of a broader Siri overhaul that was delayed to 2026. Apple had originally planned to introduce a smarter version of Siri with iOS 18 this year but had to rebuild it from the ground up with better AI technology.
While the feature will first appear in Siri, Apple is considering expanding it to Safari browser and Spotlight search in the future. The company has even discussed creating a standalone chatbot-like app focused on search, though it’s unclear if that will happen.
The push comes after Apple has seen Google searches from its devices drop for the first time in 20 years, according to testimony from Apple executive Eddy Cue. This drop is likely due to competition from AI-based alternatives.
Later in 2026, Apple also plans to give Siri a visual redesign and add a built-in health feature that will support a paid wellness subscription service.
The news of Apple’s AI plans for Siri caused the company’s stock to rise about 5% after the report was published.
