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Apple Aims to Transform Siri into a Proactive AI Agent by Next Year, Report Says
Apple has shipped its long-awaited personalized Siri with iOS 27, fulfilling its 2024 goals. However, the company’s current Siri still lacks the ability to proactively take actions for users—a feature that competitors like Meta and SpaceXSI are actively developing. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple may introduce a more autonomous version of Siri as early as next year.
Companies such as Meta and SpaceXSI have already launched agentic AI interfaces like Muse and Grok Bot, which operate with their own virtual machines to handle tasks in the background. These agents can track goals, determine next steps, and deliver results without user input. Apple, with frameworks like App Intents, has the potential to compete in this space by reducing reliance on manual user interaction.
Gurman noted in his Power On newsletter that Apple is working toward making Siri more like an agent, driven by consumer demand and market trends. “Apple ultimately wants to go in this direction,” he wrote. “I believe the company could make Siri more like an agent as early as next year—not that it has much of a choice, given current consumer and market demands.”
Apple is also streamlining its internal development processes to accelerate innovation. For iOS 28, engineers are being given more time for coding and exploration. The M1 milestone development cycle now allocates six weeks to coding and feature development, followed by two weeks for integration—a shift from the usual four-week split. Employees have reportedly welcomed the change, citing increased flexibility for idea generation.
User Impact and Privacy Considerations
If Apple successfully transitions Siri into an agentic AI, users could benefit from automated task management, such as scheduling appointments or making informational calls. An anonymous commenter on the report highlighted the potential for such features, emphasizing the need for privacy and usability. “If implemented well, it could be a fantastic use of AI,” they noted.
Apple’s existing frameworks, like App Intents, may reduce the need for complex user inputs, potentially lowering the cost of task automation. However, the company must balance functionality with its commitment to user privacy, a critical factor in the success of any AI-driven feature.
Conclusion
Apple’s move toward an agentic Siri aligns with broader industry trends, but the company faces challenges in execution. With its engineering pipeline improvements and existing infrastructure, Apple has the potential to deliver a competitive product. The coming year will be crucial in determining whether Siri can evolve into a proactive, user-centric AI agent.
FAQ
When does Apple plan to launch a proactive version of Siri?
According to Mark Gurman’s report, Apple could debut a proactive version of Siri as early as next year.
How is Apple changing its development process for iOS 28?
For the M1 milestone of iOS 28, Apple has extended the coding and exploration phase to six weeks, followed by a two-week integration phase—a shift from the traditional four-week split.
What are other companies doing in the agentic AI space?
Companies like Meta and SpaceXSI have launched agentic AI interfaces such as Muse and Grok Bot, which operate autonomously to handle tasks in the background.
Source
Source: 9to5Mac