Apple Rebuilds Siri With AI in iOS 27, Adding Personal Context

Engadget said Siri was impressive when it was unveiled in 2011, but it never really evolved and could still fail at simple requests such as playing a song or setting an alarm, sometimes searching the web instead. The original Siri could only respond to commands it had been programmed to handle, including playing a song, creating a timer or setting an alarm. It could take actions such as calling a specific contact or starting a route, but it did not understand full context.

With iOS 27, Siri has been rebuilt with AI. Once users install iOS 27, they may see a notification in the Settings app about 'Optimize Search and Siri.' Engadget reported that this means the device is learning about the user from emails to messages. The process takes time to complete, and runs faster when the phone is locked, charging and connected to Wi-Fi, but it is essential for Siri AI to work. With that knowledge, Siri becomes more powerful and smart, according to the report.

Engadget offered examples of how personal context works. A traveler who has just arrived at an airport could ask Siri for the hotel address instead of searching through emails. Siri would likely find the right address based on emails and conversations, and the user could ask it to copy the address to the clipboard. If someone cannot remember the name of a song or book a friend sent, Siri can search through messages.

Siri AI can also answer general knowledge questions. Engadget said that if a user wants to hear the surprise songs from a specific concert on Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour, Siri should find exactly those songs on Apple Music. The feature works with third-party apps as well, although this depends on developers' adoption. Some apps are already compatible, including Flighty and Gentler Streak.

Not everyone can use Siri AI. Beyond updating Apple devices to Platform 27, users need hardware that supports Apple Intelligence. That means an iPhone 15 Pro or later, or a Mac or iPad with an M1 chip or later, plus the seventh-generation A17 Pro iPad mini. Siri AI is currently only available in English. Apple says support for more languages will be rolled out soon, starting in October with French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Users may have to join a waiting list to get the new Siri and the Siri AI app. According to Engadget, the wait usually does not take long, but it is one more step.