Apple May Use OpenAI or Anthropic to Power Siri in AI Strategy Shift

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In a surprising shift that marks a potential strategic reset, Apple is reportedly exploring partnerships with AI leaders like OpenAI and Anthropic to enhance Siri, its flagship voice assistant. This decision, if finalized, would represent one of the most significant changes in Apple’s approach to artificial intelligence in over a decade. The move comes amid increasing pressure to compete with the AI capabilities of rivals like Google and Microsoft.

Why Apple’s Decision Matters

Apple has long been known for its "walled garden" philosophy—preferring to develop technologies internally to maintain strict control over user experience and privacy. For years, Siri lagged behind in functionality compared to competitors such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Even Apple fans have often voiced frustrations about Siri’s lack of contextual awareness and limited capabilities.

With the AI race intensifying post-ChatGPT’s global adoption, Apple finds itself at a crossroads. While it has made notable advances in on-device AI (like the Neural Engine), Apple has yet to produce a competitive large language model (LLM) that can rival the offerings of OpenAI, Google DeepMind, or Anthropic.

The Talks: Who’s Involved?

According to multiple reports, Apple has held early-stage discussions with:

• OpenAI – creators of ChatGPT, now integrated with Microsoft’s Copilot and Bing.
• Anthropic – developers of Claude, a privacy-forward LLM positioned as an ethical alternative to ChatGPT.

The discussions reportedly include licensing the models for use on Apple’s private cloud infrastructure—ensuring compliance with Apple’s strict privacy standards. Apple has also considered integrating Google’s Gemini AI, but Claude and ChatGPT seem to be the front-runners.

Apple’s Internal Struggles with AI

While Apple has invested heavily in AI, especially in hardware acceleration (e.g., Neural Engine chips), its software efforts have not kept pace. Insiders suggest that Apple’s own LLMs are still years behind in performance compared to state-of-the-art models like GPT-4 or Claude 3. As a result, a fully AI-enhanced Siri was reportedly delayed until at least 2026.

This delay has had organizational consequences. Apple recently replaced its AI chief John Giannandrea, who was leading Siri’s transformation, with Mike Rockwell, previously head of Apple’s Vision Pro team. The leadership shake-up signals Apple’s urgency to catch up in the AI space.

Why Anthropic Might Have an Edge

In internal testing, Anthropic’s Claude models reportedly outperformed competitors in areas like summarization, logical reasoning, and privacy-conscious operations. Given Apple’s emphasis on user data protection, Claude’s focus on constitutional AI and safety-first design could align well with Apple’s brand values.

Furthermore, Claude offers better transparency and explainability—two features Apple executives have publicly prioritized when discussing future AI integrations.

How OpenAI Fits In

Despite concerns over data privacy, OpenAI’s GPT-4 is still considered the most powerful LLM in consumer use today. Its natural language processing, code generation, and multimodal abilities (text, images, and soon, audio and video) make it a strong contender.

Apple has already partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18 as part of its broader “Apple Intelligence” initiative. This could lay the groundwork for deeper integration into Siri if licensing and privacy hurdles can be overcome.

Privacy: Apple’s Non-Negotiable

One major sticking point is privacy. Apple insists that any external LLM must run on servers controlled and secured by Apple. This hybrid approach would allow Siri to tap into powerful AI models without compromising user data—an essential consideration for Apple’s customer base.

Apple may use a tiered system where simple tasks are handled on-device (via Apple’s own models), while more complex queries are routed through third-party LLMs running in Apple’s cloud.

Competitive Pressures and Market Landscape

The rise of AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude has shifted user expectations. Microsoft’s Copilot has redefined productivity tools, while Google is infusing Gemini into everything from Gmail to Android.

Apple’s WWDC 2025 event included some AI announcements, but lacked the transformative breakthroughs seen from rivals. Investors and users alike are eager to see Apple respond decisively—and a partnership with OpenAI or Anthropic could be just that.

Implications for Users

For iPhone, iPad, and Mac users, this could result in a vastly improved Siri experience. Imagine a Siri that can hold contextual conversations, generate code, summarize long articles, or even help with creative writing—all with Apple-grade privacy protections.

It could also signal Apple’s willingness to open up more of its ecosystem to external innovations, something developers and enterprise users have long requested.

Financial and Strategic Stakes

Apple’s stock rose nearly 2% following the Bloomberg report, showing investor confidence in Apple’s willingness to adapt. Licensing a model from Anthropic or OpenAI would be costly but far less expensive than falling further behind in the AI race.

Additionally, a successful partnership could lead to Apple acquiring or investing in one of these AI firms—much like Microsoft’s stake in OpenAI or Amazon’s backing of Anthropic.

What’s Next?

No final decision has been announced yet. Apple continues testing multiple models in its internal infrastructure. An official announcement could arrive later in 2025, perhaps at Apple’s October hardware event or during the rollout of iOS 19 beta updates.

Until then, all eyes are on Cupertino as the tech world waits to see whether Apple will continue its solo AI journey—or join forces with its biggest AI rivals.

Conclusion

Apple’s potential move to use OpenAI or Anthropic to power Siri is a clear sign of changing tides. After years of going it alone, the company appears ready to collaborate to ensure it remains competitive in the era of generative AI.

For users, developers, and investors alike, this could be the beginning of a smarter, more capable Siri—one finally equipped for the future of artificial intelligence.

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Stay tuned for more updates as Apple’s AI strategy continues to evolve.

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