Apple speeds up Siri upgrades to handle tasks more independently

Apple is accelerating work on Siri under pressure from chief executive John Ternus, aiming to build an AI assistant that can carry out tasks more independently. The push reflects the company’s recognition that Siri is behind competing AI assistants, as demand grows for tools that can act on users’ behalf.

Two upgrades are expected in the coming months: finer control of Apple apps, such as editing photos and organising Safari tabs, reportedly planned for iOS 27.3; and later support for third-party apps, which could let Siri order food or book a restaurant. Apple also wants Siri to track goals and continue working towards them without users prompting each step, a capability that could arrive as early as next year.