A new iOS is on the way, and big changes are coming with it. According to a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's Siri app in iOS 27 will get an auto-delete option for chats and will also rely heavily on Google's Gemini for its AI chatbot operations.
The tweaks could be announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference, kicking off on June 8, and launched in September alongside Apple's new products.
Siri will be a major focal point for Apple this year, along with potentially entering the foldable phone marketplace and a major AI camera overhaul. Launched in 2011, Siri is available on iPhones and other Apple devices, helping with basic tasks, like making calls or texts, asking for information or managing a smart home. This year, the company will pivot Siri toward an AI chatbot to rival others such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, Anthropic's Claude and xAI's Grok. Gurman previously reported that Siri will become a standalone app as it transitions to a generative AI assistant chatbot.
Writing in his Power On newsletter, Gurman said customers will be able to choose to have Siri chats auto-delete after a set period. In settings, customers can decide whether to keep chats for 30 days, one year or forever. iPhone users already have a similar feature in their messaging app, allowing them to adjust their settings to automatically delete text messages after 30 days or a year.
A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Watch this: The New Gemini Isn't the Siri We Need
Siri's AI privacy gamble
With the iOS 27 upgrade, Siri will rely heavily on Gemini, which is among the leaders in the AI chatbot race, Gurman said. Apple's AI has generally lagged behind Google, OpenAI and Anthropic in both functionality and scope, perhaps intentionally and certainly without detriment to its revenues.
Gurman suggested that Apple, which avoids using raw customer data to train its AI, might now "allow Google to handle some of its security protections." Currently, Apple Intelligence -- the company's AI system -- generates AI responses using customer data, either on-device or via the company's Private Cloud Compute, which is designed to keep customer data private.
Apple "had no other option" but to use Google's AI for Siri, Gurman wrote. "While Apple has maintained that it wants to keep user protections while also delivering AI, it feels like the general population is starting to realize that privacy requires trade-offs," he said.
In January, Apple and Google announced a "multiyear collaboration" in which Apple would use Google's Gemini models and cloud technology. At the time, Apple said that "Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy standards."
It's still unclear where Siri customer data will be analyzed and stored with iOS 27. Though Apple will still use Private Cloud Compute in the new Siri, Gurman said the company hasn't specified if it "will rely on the same chips, data centers and security as the Siri and Apple Intelligence features of today."
When Siri consumers ask or discuss something with the chatbot, will all of that wind up in the Google cloud? How much will it have to compromise its data privacy standards, which have been a hallmark of its products?
There is "clear pressure" on Apple to succeed with Siri's AI chatbot, but taking a slow-and-steady approach to AI -- rather than spending a massive amount of money -- has been a wise strategy, said tech analyst Paolo Pescatore.
"Apple's opportunity is not to win the AI race through noise or novelty. It is to make AI feel useful, private, seamless and deeply embedded across its ecosystem," Pescatore told CNET.
Genmoji suggestions
Apple will also be increasing AI's influence over genmoji with iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, Gurman said. The company will introduce "suggested Genmoji," created from customers' photos and the phrases they use often in messages and chats. The feature will be optional, Gurman said.
Genmoji, which launched in December 2024, as part of iOS 18.2, are AI-generated emoji of characters, objects or people that customers can use in their text messages. Folks can generate them by using a descriptive prompt or photos from their library.
Gurman said that the new and improved Siri might start out in beta. He said that customers might have a toggle option to use the Siri beta or the current Siri.
