Apple is intensifying its focus on Siri, with plans to introduce a Google Gemini-powered Siri later this year. In preparation for this update, Apple is sending a group of Siri engineers to an AI coding bootcamp to enhance their AI skills, aligning with the rising popularity of Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex.
According to a report from The Information, Apple is sending nearly 200 engineers currently involved in Siri development to the bootcamp. The report highlights that the Siri team has been perceived as falling behind within Apple.
Despite this perception, a significant number of engineers will remain dedicated to advancing Siri. Approximately 60 team members will continue to work on Siri’s development, while an additional 60 will focus on evaluating Siri’s performance to meet Apple’s safety standards and efficiently process user commands.
Apple appears to be joining the trend in the tech industry towards AI integration. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta are directing their efforts towards leveraging tools such as Claude Code and Codex. Apple is also emphasizing the use of AI for coding, with certain teams allocating substantial portions of their budgets to Claude Code. However, the Siri team has reportedly not fully embraced these coding tools.
The AI coding bootcamp could serve as a catalyst for the Siri team to adopt more AI technologies before the forthcoming Siri update. Apple’s AI strategy has undergone significant changes following challenges faced by the Siri team in delivering the promised Apple Intelligence version of Siri for iOS 18, leading to a reorganization. Former AI chief John Giannandrea is set to retire, with Craig Federighi now overseeing AI development and Mike Rockwell leading the Siri team.
The new version of Siri is anticipated to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, powered by Gemini’s AI models from Google. This enhanced Siri is expected to offer more features, including the ability to independently solve complex queries. However, the updated Siri is likely to debut exclusively on iPhones with the release of iOS 27 in September, coinciding with the launch of iPhone 18 Pro models and the iPhone fold.