Apple Unveils Exciting Updates for Siri in Long-Awaited AI Overhaul

Two years and a $250 million lawsuit later, Apple’s AI Siri revamp is on its way to your phones and laptops and even your mixed reality headset, if you happen to be one of like three people who actually uses the Apple Vision Pro. Apple revealed a slew of new information at Monday’s WWDC keynote about these long-awaited, AI-powered updates that can take advantage of the fact that our hardware is supposedly “built for Apple Intelligence.”

Earning my trust when it comes to AI is no easy feat. I remain skeptical of LLMs for reliable information, and I find it ethically questionable to use AI in my writing tasks—plus, I’m not particularly intrigued about how I might look as a Studio Ghibli character. But occasionally, I am drawn in by AI’s tantalizing potential.

Apple’s Siri AI demos sparked that intrigue, depicting a future where your mobile device features an always-on assistant tailored to your needs, tracking conversations across multiple applications simultaneously.

As Katy Perry might say, it’s a juxtaposition of excitement and concern—what does this mean for our privacy? Yet, for someone buried under the weight of endless notifications and messages, any help in organizing this digital chaos seems appealing.

Ideally, I envision Siri as my own personal assistant, like Emily in “The Devil Wears Prada”—a “second brain” that anticipates my needs. I yearn for Siri to manage my texts and set reminders seamlessly when plans come up or when I’m near the pharmacy to pick up my medication. And if I overlook an important email, I want Siri to give me a gentle nudge.

The revamped Siri won’t handle every task perfectly yet, but the improvements are promising. During the WWDC, Apple’s senior director Justin Titi demonstrated asking Siri to remind him of a dessert his daughter mentioned. Instead of sifting through weeks of texts, Siri quickly fetched the relevant information—an impressive time-saver.

This revamped Siri aims to integrate “personal context,” leveraging data from Apple’s native applications such as iMessage, Calendar, and Photos. Moreover, Siri will have the ability to recognize what’s on your display. For instance, if a delightful park appears on your Instagram feed, you can request its location. However, it remains uncertain whether Siri will expand capabilities to third-party apps, leaving that potential to developers’ discretion.

Existing apps like Poppy and Poke are working to offer similar functionalities. Yet, the dilemma with such AI systems is that utilizing them often requires relinquishing personal data—which might lead to complications, as seen in previous tech mishaps where users faced unintended data loss.

While I’m hesitant to share my data with large tech corporations, Apple has historically demonstrated a stronger commitment to user security compared to other FAANG (MANGOS?) companies. On-device AI poses fewer security risks and utilizes less energy than cloud solutions. Currently, features like email summaries depend on this principle. Furthermore, for more intricate tasks, Apple has developed the private cloud compute (PCC) system, allowing devices to process complex data without exposing user information even to Apple itself. Notably, PCC remains unbreached to date, despite Apple offering a $1 million bounty for vulnerabilities.

Recently, in a discussion with author Calvin Kasulke, I voiced my desire to delegate my mundane tasks to an AI.

“With the clutter of technology in our lives, one must ask, ‘Is it all necessary?’ If it is, shouldn’t we develop the skills to manage it ourselves?” Calvin responded. His words resonated with me—perhaps rather than relying on Siri for reminders about shows my friends recommend, I should engage more thoughtfully in conversations.

“Frankly, the ads suggesting AI buy gifts for your child—what happened to simply learning what they like? It feels as though some don’t wish to engage in the fundamental aspects of being human,” he remarked.

Desiring Siri to embody Emily’s character might lead to dependencies I’m not ready for. While I can’t affect Siri as Miranda did Emily, will I turn into someone who cannot operate without an AI? Is that what I truly want?

Fortunately, I will have the option to abstain from all this. Unlike Google’s controversial search changes, Apple’s new Siri can be activated or deactivated, leaving room for personal choice. Until then, I must weigh whether to indulge in the captivating yet questionable realm of Siri AI.