Apple's Siri AI in iOS 27 beta transforms the assistant into a chatbot

Apple's latest iOS 27 public beta brings the long-awaited Siri AI overhaul, first showcased at WWDC in June. The update transforms Siri from a voice-only assistant into a chatbot-style app that logs interactions and allows users to revisit past conversations. Siri AI is now woven deeply into the operating system, accessible from anywhere on the device via voice or the new app. Early hands-on tests show it can handle tasks like finding vacation photos, sending texts, and recommending restaurants with basic prompts.

Behind the scenes, Siri AI builds a personal context database through an on-device indexing process labeled 'Optimizing Search and Siri,' which took over a week to complete on one iPhone 16 Pro Max. This gives Siri access to information that chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude cannot easily reach. However, the current beta lacks a memory feature for storing user preferences, so you'll need to remind it you're vegan when asking for recipes. The app stores chat history but allows settings to auto-delete after 30 days, a year, or forever. Despite some limitations, the integration and accessibility are well received by analysts.