As Apple's AI struggles continue, it again looks at these technology companies including one backed by Amazon

Time of India

4 hours ago

Apple Inc is considering a major shift in its artificial intelligence strategy, exploring partnerships with Anthropic PBC or OpenAI to power a new version of Siri, potentially sidelining its in-house AI models, Bloomberg reported.
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This move aims to bolster Apple's struggling AI efforts and keep pace with competitors in the rapidly evolving generative AI landscape.
According to the report, citing sources familiar with the matter, Apple has engaged in discussions with both Anthropic and OpenAI about integrating their large language models, such as Claude or ChatGPT, into Siri. The company has requested these firms train custom versions of their models to run on Apple's cloud infrastructure, specifically its Private Cloud Compute servers powered by high-end Mac chips, to prioritize user privacy.
These talks remain in early stages, and Apple has not finalized its decision, with an internal project, dubbed LLM Siri, still developing in-house models.
The initiative, led by Siri chief Mike Rockwell and software engineering head Craig Federighi, follows a reassignment of Siri oversight from Apple's AI chief, John Giannandrea, amid delays and underwhelming responses to Apple Intelligence features. The report noted that Rockwell, who assumed the Siri engineering role in March, instructed his team to evaluate whether third-party models like Claude, ChatGPT, or Google's Gemini outperform Apple's own technology.
Testing reportedly showed Anthropic's Claude as the most promising fit for Siri's needs, prompting talks led by Apple's vice president of corporate development, Adrian Perica.
Siri, launched in 2011, has lagged behind modern AI chatbots, with promised upgrades like enhanced app control and personal data integration delayed from early 2025 to next spring, per Bloomberg. Apple's broader AI strategy remains uncertain, with a multibillion-dollar budget approved for 2026 to run in-house models, but executives are increasingly open to third-party solutions for a quicker turnaround.
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What is Apple's current partnership with OpenAI
Apple's current AI features rely on its proprietary Apple Foundation Models, with plans for a 2026 Siri overhaul initially based on this technology. However, the report said that adopting third-party models could help Apple match the capabilities of AI assistants on Android devices, shedding its reputation as an AI laggard. This approach mirrors Samsung's use of Google's Gemini for its Galaxy AI features and Amazon's integration of Anthropic's technology for Alexa+.
What Apple's change in AI strategy mean
The shift has sparked concerns within Apple's 100-person AI team, led by Ruoming Pang, with morale reportedly souring over the potential reliance on external technology. The report highlighted that some engineers feel their work is being undervalued, with competitors like Meta and OpenAI offering lucrative packages—ranging from $10 million to $40 million annually—to poach talent. Apple recently lost senior researcher Tom Gunter and narrowly retained its MLX team after counteroffers, underscoring the competitive pressure.
While Apple already uses ChatGPT for certain Siri queries and text generation, discussions with Anthropic have hit snags over financial terms, with the startup seeking a multibillion-dollar annual fee. If no deal is reached, Apple may pivot to OpenAI or other providers, signaling a potential transformation in its AI approach.