Apple to Jumpstart Siri With Advanced AI, Enabling Voice Control of Apps

Apple is gearing up to give its digital assistant, Siri, an artificial intelligence-powered upgrade, potentially posing a challenge to Amazon’s dominant Alexa.

The Cupertino-based tech giant is working on a new system that will allow users to control individual app functions using voice commands, marking a leap forward in Siri’s capabilities, Bloomberg reported Thursday (May 30).

The revamped Siri, set to use the power of large language models and generative AI, will be able to analyze user behavior on their devices and automatically enable Siri-controlled features within apps, per the report. This means that for the first time, Siri will be able to navigate and command specific app functions with unprecedented precision, handling tasks such as opening documents, organizing notes, managing emails, and providing summaries of articles within the Apple News app.

While the initial rollout will be limited to Apple’s own apps, the company has plans to support hundreds of different commands and eventually allow users to chain multiple requests together, offering a seamless and intuitive user experience, the report said. The development is part of Apple’s broader AI strategy, which is set to be unveiled at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference June 10, alongside other AI-powered features like voice memo transcriptions, automated message replies and advanced photo editing capabilities.

In related news, Apple is working on enhancing Siri’s capabilities in upcoming operating systems, AppleInsider reported Thursday. Siri will be able to better understand contexts, such as people, events and locations, when generating responses.

A new feature called “Greymatter Catch Up” will allow users to request a summary of recent notifications through Siri, making it easier to stay updated without manually checking each app. These improvements aim to make Siri more context-aware and user-friendly, according to the report.

As the battle for virtual assistant supremacy heats up, Apple’s move to enhance Siri’s capabilities could have far-reaching implications for the future of eCommerce and the way consumers interact with their devices. With the potential to offer more personalized and efficient shopping experiences, Siri’s AI-driven evolution may give Amazon’s Alexa a run for its money.

For all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.