ChatGPT, meet Siri. Siri, meet ChatGPT.
Apple integrated its voice assistant, standard with its iPhone and other devices, with OpenAI’s artificial intelligence, part of a series of updates announced by the tech giant in a Wednesday (Dec. 11) press release.
“Apple is enabling ChatGPT access in Siri and Writing Tools experiences within iOS, iPadOS and macOS, allowing users to access its expertise — as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities — without needing to jump between applications,” the release said. “With the ChatGPT integration, Siri can suggest a user access ChatGPT for certain requests, and Siri can provide the response directly.”
With Compose, users can ask ChatGPT to produce content for whatever they are writing about from the systemwide Writing Tools. They can also use ChatGPT’s image-generation capabilities to add images to their written content, according to the release.
Users can also choose whether to allow ChatGPT integration, and they have control of when to use it and what information is shared with it, per the release.
This latest update represents a pivotal moment for Apple’s AI ambitions. The integration of ChatGPT goes beyond enabling Siri to serve as a glorified trivia responder. Instead, it positions Siri as a potentially indispensable tool for managing everyday life and, crucially, for participating in the voice-driven commerce ecosystem many companies vying to dominate. According to a PYMNTS study of 2,939 consumers, 63% of consumers express interest in AI-powered voice assistants that can assist with everyday tasks.
The updates follow October’s rollout of Apple Intelligence, its AI offering. Industry experts argue the company’s embrace of the technology could reshape how people shop, while also challenging the idea that Apple has fallen behind in the AI race.
“Apple may be late to the AI surge compared to Google and Amazon, which have been adding AI to products for years,” The Big Phone Store CEO Steven Athwal told PYMNTS. “But Apple has always been about timing and refinement. While others rushed to put out the latest in AI tech, Apple focused on privacy, security and user experience.”
“Apple isn’t just upgrading Siri — it’s redefining the retail experience,” added Kaveh Vahdat, founder of AI marketing firm RiseOpp. “Imagine AI-powered shopping where Siri becomes a real-time stylist, inventory checker and payment assistant, all wrapped in Apple’s signature privacy shield.”
Meanwhile, the PYMNTS Intelligence report “How Consumers Want to Live in the Voice Economy” found that AI advances are setting the stage for voice assistants that can carry out more complex tasks. Only 7.8% of consumers think voice technology is as smart and reliable as a real person.
The integration also raises questions about whether Siri is now positioned to compete directly with Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Gemini, both of which have steadily advanced their AI capabilities. Alexa, for example, has recently gained generative AI features that enhance marketplace search and customer interactions. Similarly, Gemini has focused on creating more natural and conversational user experiences. Apple’s ChatGPT-powered Siri, however, offers a differentiated approach by combining advanced AI functionality with stringent privacy measures. This factor could give it a competitive edge in attracting privacy-conscious users.
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