Apple is preparing to overhaul Siri in iOS 27 with a ChatGPT-style conversational interface, but the redesigned assistant may debut carrying a 'beta' label, a quiet admission that the product still isn't ready, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Two years late and still not done
Apple first signalled an ambitious AI-powered Siri at WWDC 2024, promising deep device integration and human-like conversation. It never fully arrived. Now, with iOS 27 expected to be unveiled at WWDC 2026 next month, Gurman reports the revamped Siri app may still launch in a provisional state. A beta label at ship time would be unusual for a flagship Apple feature, and a frank signal that the company is still playing catch-up to OpenAI and Google in the AI assistant race.
One area where Apple appears to be moving boldly is privacy. The new Siri app will reportedly include auto-deleting chatsm a feature Gurman describes as unique to the chatbot market. Where rivals like ChatGPT and Gemini retain conversation history by default, Apple's approach would give users a clean slate, leaning into the company's established identity as a privacy-first brand. It is a smart hedge: if Siri can't yet beat competitors on capability, it can differentiate on trust.
A Genmoji refresh is expected as well
Rounding out the iOS 27 AI updates, Gurman reports that Genmoji, Apple's AI-generated emoji feature introduced last year, is getting an upgrade. Details are thin, but the feature is expected to produce more refined and varied results than its debut iteration.
Apple faces a narrowing window. Google's Gemini is now deeply embedded in Android, and ChatGPT's user base has ballooned. Shipping a 'beta' Siri, however privacy-forward, risks reinforcing a narrative that Apple's AI ambitions are perpetually one software cycle away. WWDC 2026 next month will be the moment of truth.
