Apple’s big iPhone 17 launch this fall was full of shiny new hardware, but one thing was conspicuously absent: AI hype.
Siri didn’t get a glow-up on stage, Apple Intelligence barely got a name-drop, and the crowd moved on to titanium finishes.
But while Apple kept mum, OpenAI’s Sam Altman was busy stirring the pot on Twitter.
Altman posted that Apple’s latest iPhones are finally the upgrade he’s “really wanted.”
Enter another AI exec with a cheeky suggestion: why not just replace Siri with ChatGPT’s new Voice mode?
Instead of brushing it off, Altman gave the idea a digital thumbs-up, calling it a “great idea.” Cue the internet connecting the dots.
Here’s why this isn’t as wild as it sounds: OpenAI is already embedded in Apple’s ecosystem.
Apple Intelligence leans on ChatGPT for features like Writing Tools, and Siri already hands off tricky questions to ChatGPT through Apple’s Extensions system. (Yes, you can turn it off in Settings if you’d rather Siri continue fumbling on her own.)
But the story doesn’t end there. Apple is reportedly plotting a major “AI brain transplant” for Siri next year, one that could transform her from a stilted voice assistant into something more ChatGPT- or Gemini-like.
Bloomberg reports Apple has been quietly shopping around, asking both OpenAI and Anthropic to train test models, Claude and ChatGPT, on Apple’s cloud infrastructure as a potential backbone for next-gen Siri. (Via: Digital Trends)
And because no AI drama is complete without Google, Gemini has allegedly joined the chat.
Apple has apparently approached Alphabet about building a custom AI model tailored to Siri’s future.
So, while Apple avoided AI fireworks during its iPhone 17 show, the behind-the-scenes negotiations are heating up.
Siri may soon swap her training wheels for a full-on large language model, whether powered by Apple’s own tech, OpenAI, Anthropic, or even Google.
Would replacing Siri with ChatGPT or Gemini be a smart move for Apple, or would it undermine the company’s commitment to privacy and controlling its own technology stack? Should Apple prioritize building its own AI capabilities even if they’re currently inferior, or partner with the best available models to give users better experiences? Tell us below in the comments, or reach us via our Twitter or Facebook.
