Apple has officially unveiled the biggest Siri upgrade since the voice assistant debuted in 2011.
After years of lagging behind rivals like ChatGPT and Gemini — and following multiple delays to its promised AI features — Apple used WWDC 2026 to reveal a completely revamped Siri powered by Apple Intelligence.
The new Siri, known as Siri AI, is designed to be more conversational, more capable and more aware of what's happening across your devices. Apple says the assistant can now understand context, perform more complex actions and help users get things done without constantly jumping between apps. And the best part? The update goes all the way back to iPhone 11.
Here's everything Apple announced.
Siri is now a true AI chatbot
The biggest change is that Siri is no longer designed around one-off voice commands.
Apple says the new assistant can hold natural conversations, remember context between requests and better understand what you're trying to accomplish.
This brings Siri much closer to the experience people have come to expect from ChatGPT and Gemini. Instead of starting from scratch with every question, Siri can now carry a conversation forward naturally.
Through natural conversation, Siri AI can help set reminders, play music or help with tasks for every day support.
Siri finally gets its own app
One of the biggest surprises announced at WWDC is a dedicated Siri app.
Rather than existing solely as a voice assistant, Siri AI now has a home where users can review previous conversations, continue chats and interact through text as well as voice.
For many users, this could be one of the most important changes because it transforms Siri from a feature into a destination.
Siri is also available for watchOS so you can ask questions and take action right on your wrist.
Siri AI has a new voice experience
Siri AI has a brand new voice experience. The AI assistant's voice can be customized like never before, from pace and tone to receptivity until you find one that clicks.
Plus, there is a system wide update to dictation. Built right into the system, it works with messaging to journaling apps. It also works throughout all of the iOS system from CarPlay to AirPods.
Visual Intelligence
Simply let Siri see what you see and get a useful response. Get rich details and ask questions and conversations. Also, suggest relevant actions and insights based on what's in front of you.
Plus, it's easier than ever to take action right on your screen. Coming to MacOS in September.
Siri can understand what's on your screen
Apple has also introduced screen awareness with Visual Intelligence. The new Siri can understand content currently displayed on your iPhone, iPad or Mac and respond based on what you're looking at.
That means users no longer need to describe every detail manually before asking for help. Siri already knows the context. With real world knowledge and personal context, Siri pulls it all together for you.
Siri can analyze files
Another major addition is support for uploaded files.
Apple demonstrated Siri working with documents such as PDFs, spreadsheets and other files, allowing users to ask questions, summarize information and extract key details.
This dramatically expands what Siri can do and moves it closer to the capabilities offered by dedicated AI chatbots.
Siri can take actions across apps
Perhaps the most ambitious feature announced at WWDC is Siri's ability to complete tasks across multiple apps. It can pull up information from across the web. For example, in a demo, the schedule for the World Cup was pulled up and then from there, Siri was immediately able to help with support for a watch party.
Instead of opening apps one by one, users can ask Siri to perform multi-step actions on their behalf. This could become Siri's biggest advantage over competing AI assistants.
Writing Tools, now integrated with Siri, can now help you write in the moment. For example, just select what you've written and Siri will proofread and offer suggestions.
Other new Siri features announced at WWDC
You can now ask Siri AI for help right from Spotlight. As you type, the system recognizes it is a query for Siri and will immediately bring up info for you to get started.
Siri can search across messages and emails to find whatever it is you're looking for. From there, Siri can take action such as writing an email or extracting phone numbers to help you get more done across iPhone and Mac.
The takeaway
Heading into WWDC, I wondered if Siri was over for Apple. But what Apple showed today suggests the company is trying to reinvent Siri for the AI era rather than simply adding a few chatbot features on top of the assistant we've been using for the past decade.
The real test, of course, will come when these features reach users' devices. But based on today's announcements, Siri suddenly looks a lot more relevant than it did just a few hours ago.
