Apple's 'ChatGPT' is coming soon

Apple develops and uses a new chatbot application. Photo: Bloomberg .

Apple has developed a ChatGPT-like app for the iPhone, designed to help test and prepare for the long-awaited Siri overhaul, which is expected to launch next year, according to Bloomberg.

The software, codenamed Veritas, will allow the company's AI division to quickly evaluate new features for Siri, including testing searching for personal data like songs and emails, and performing in-app tasks like photo editing.

Sources say the project is private and Apple has no plans to release it to consumers yet. Essentially, the company is running the new Siri internally for employees to use and test, to gather feedback on whether the chatbot format is actually useful.

Reviving AI efforts

Veritas is designed similarly to most popular chatbots on the market, allowing users to create multiple conversations with a variety of topics. The chatbot can save and reference previous chats, continue old questions, and support back-and-forth exchanges.

The team used the app to test an upgraded foundational system that powers the new Siri. The system, codenamed Linwood, relies on large language models and combines Apple's Foundation Models team with a third-party model.

While not yet publicly available, the internal tool marks a new phase in the company’s AI efforts. The new Siri is expected to launch as early as March after multiple delays. The software’s smooth performance could help Apple re-emerge in the AI space, or leave the company further behind rivals like Google and Samsung.

The iPhone 17 launch event didn't mention AI much. Photo: CNET.

Experts predict that the competition for AI features will escalate next year, becoming a more important factor when considering buying a smartphone. Meanwhile, Apple did not mention this factor much during the iPhone 17 launch event in September.

Apple failed a third of its Siri upgrades due to technical issues, leading to a delay in its launch early last year.

Apple’s larger goal is to assert leadership in a key market. In a recent meeting with employees, CEO Tim Cook said the company must win in AI, calling it the biggest transformation in decades.

In addition to focusing resources on Siri, Apple is also preparing to launch a version of its voice assistant with a new intuitive interface design by the end of 2026. The company is also developing many AI-based smart home devices, adding AI features to the HomePod speaker and Apple TV player, and pushing into the field of AI-based web search.

Apple's ultimate goal

Apple had talks with OpenAI in early 2025, and later entered advanced talks to use Anthropic's Claude to power the new Siri. However, Apple has recently intensified discussions with Google about deploying a customized version of the Gemini platform for Siri.

The company’s reluctance to release Veritas to consumers is hardly surprising. Apple executives have long expressed hesitation, both internally and publicly, about entering this market. In an interview with Tom’s Guide , Apple software chief Craig Federighi said such tools are powerful but not the company’s primary goal.

John Giannandrea and Craig Federighi are Apple's AI leaders. Photo: Bloomberg.

The delay in the Siri upgrade earlier this year was followed by a larger restructuring of Apple’s AI strategy, with AI chief John Giannandrea and several of his assistants being sidelined, and Robby Walker, who oversaw Siri until the delay, leaving Apple in October.

Before leaving, Walker created a new team called AKI, which will play a central role in developing AI-powered search features for the updated Siri. The Veritas app will also help drive this effort by allowing testers to pull information from the internet and view summaries.

Apple's ultimate goal is to compete with ChatGPT and Perplexity, but within the Siri interface itself. The upgrade is designed to be able to handle information displayed on the user's screen, as well as allowing users to navigate the device more smoothly through Siri.

Source: https://znews.vn/sap-co-chatgpt-cua-apple-post1588674.html