Siri is set to get a big AI upgrade in iOS18, including access to in-app trigger features from simple voice commands. This also includes asking you to book an Uber on your behalf.

We don't know the full extent of Apple's AI upgrade on iOS 6/10 until WWDC2024, but it looks like the iPhone maker will be fully committed to adding new features to the entire ecosystem.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Siri could be the epicenter of AI on the iPhone, with people testing iOS18 reporting that it can be used to take action across devices.

Siri upgrades are rumored to be more than just a surface level, giving it a more natural voice. Gurman says that it will now use a large language model at its core, allowing it to respond more naturally and handle more complex tasks.  Like Google and Alexa, Apple has experimented with and published research on how to make siri smarter.

This includes using generative AI and large language models such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini to handle user interactions. What format this will come in is speculation, but some rumors suggest that Apple will replace Siri with a new GPT-4o powered ChatGPT voice. In fact, Siri remains, and many of its features seem to be supplied using an on-device language model with several features going to GPT-4o.

On-Device It also makes the model easier to interact with other apps.

WWDC may introduce new tools that allow app developers to expose features to the new Siri AI, perform tasks, and retrieve information that is normally only accessible by opening certain apps.

This is great for apps like Uber, where the company's monetary reward is in the final booking, but those who rely on advertising may be more reluctant. Basically, you can ask siri to perform the task and tell it to display the results without leaving Siri itself. Basically, Siri can control and navigate your iPad or iPhone. This also includes opening documents, moving notes to folders, sending and deleting emails.

It also gives you access to many of the features hidden under the context menu, such as whether to open a link in apple News or a browser, to summarize that article in the first place.

According to Gurman, initially these features and the ability to perform tasks within the app were not available in Apple's own apps, such as notes, photos, and emails. This may be because the app needs to be updated to support the new developer kit.

Getting the LLM brain means Siri can do more than one thing at a time. For example, you can ask Siri to summarize the recorded meetings and send notes to a specific set of colleagues from every single voice command.

Some of the more advanced features may not be available at startup, coming instead in future updates. And according to recent reports, the most power-consuming AI feature in Siri and Apple's apps may require an iPhone15 or higher.