CUPERTINO – Apple on Monday announced a significant artificial intelligence upgrade for the iPhone, marking a renewed push into the AI race and revealing a partnership with Google to power its next-generation features.
The announcement came at the company’s annual developers conference, where Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook made what is expected to be one of his final appearances at the event ahead of a planned leadership transition in September, when longtime executive John Ternus is set to take over.
Two years ago, Apple introduced its “Apple Intelligence” initiative, signalling a major shift toward AI integration across its ecosystem. However, several key features, including a major upgrade to the Siri voice assistant, were delayed or failed to fully materialise, drawing criticism from users and leading to legal action in the United States that was later settled.
At this year’s event, Apple acknowledged its slower approach to AI development, emphasising a focus on reliability and user safety over rapid deployment. Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, said in a presentation that artificial intelligence has the potential to deliver major benefits, but warned against rushing development without considering user impact.
Apple also suggested that some companies were advancing AI primarily for competitive speed rather than practical application, reinforcing its position that it is taking a more measured strategy.
A key highlight of the announcement was a significantly enhanced version of Siri, referred to as “Siri AI,” designed to offer more natural conversations and improved integration across apps such as Maps and Mail, enabling users to complete complex tasks across services.
Unlike competitors that have heavily invested in building proprietary AI infrastructure, Apple confirmed it will rely in part on technology provided by Google. The company will integrate a customised version of Google’s Gemini model to support its new AI features. The two companies already maintain a strong commercial relationship, with Google paying Apple billions annually to remain the default search engine on Safari.
Industry observers note that many of the AI capabilities Apple showcased have already been introduced in various forms across Google’s ecosystem, including Gmail, Maps, and Android devices.
Apple also highlighted expanded parental control features, reflecting growing global scrutiny of tech companies over child safety and digital well-being. These updates include improved screen-time management tools Despite its cautious entry into the AI space, Apple’s financial performance has remained strong, with its stock rising around 15% this year and iPhone sales recording double-digit growth in several major markets during the first quarter.
