Apple relaunches an action-taking Siri at WWDC 2026 with ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude Extensions

Apple used WWDC 2026 to relaunch Siri as the centerpiece of iOS 27 and macOS 27, finally delivering the action-capable, context-aware assistant it promised two years ago. The revamped Siri, powered by updated Apple Intelligence, can take multi-step actions across apps including Messages, Music, and Reminders, and is accessible through a Dynamic Island swipe and a dedicated chat interface. A second-generation Apple Foundation Models framework adds speech, text, and image support and is slated to be open-sourced later in the summer.

The most consequential change for the AI ecosystem is Apple Extensions, which let users choose between ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude as the model backing certain queries — marking Claude's first appearance on iOS and ending ChatGPT's exclusivity on the platform. Some premium features, like higher image-generation limits and HomeKit camera scene descriptions, require an iCloud+ subscription, signaling Apple's intent to monetize AI through services.

Reaction was measured. Bloomberg's hands-on called the new Siri 'just good enough' to steady the ship after a $250M settlement and two years of stumbles, while analysts noted it is reliable rather than revolutionary compared to frontier assistants. Developer sentiment on the Extensions framework was positive, seen as welcoming model choice rather than locking users into one provider. The open question is whether Apple's on-device-first, privacy-centric approach can keep pace with cloud-scale frontier models — and whether 'good enough' is enough to retain users tempted by more capable rivals.