Quick answer: Siri AI is Apple’s rebuilt Siri, released in beta with iOS 27 on 14 September 2026. It can understand what’s on your screen, use your messages, email and photos for context, and carry out multi-step tasks across apps. You need an iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16 or later, and at launch it only works when your device is set to English.
This is the biggest change to Siri since it arrived on the iPhone in 2011. Apple says the new assistant runs on the next generation of its own Apple Foundation Models, which were “custom-built in collaboration with Google and its Gemini models.” That’s why you’ll see headlines calling it “Gemini-powered Siri.”
Here’s what Siri AI actually does, which devices get it, where it isn’t available yet, and what to know about privacy before you start using it. Everything below is as of early October 2026.
What is Siri AI in iOS 27?
Siri AI is the new version of Siri that ships with iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27. According to Apple’s announcement, it “begins rolling out today in beta in English,” with the update dated 14 September 2026. Engadget reported the same public release date for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27 and macOS 27.
The key word is beta. Apple is shipping it to everyone with a supported device, but it’s still labelled a test version, so expect rough edges and features that change over the coming months.
What can the new Siri do?
Apple groups the new abilities into a few areas. In plain terms, Siri can now:
- Use your personal context. It can search your messages, emails and photos to answer questions like when a friend said they’d arrive or where a booking confirmation went.
- See what’s on your screen. Onscreen awareness lets you ask about whatever you’re looking at, such as an address in a chat or a product on a web page.
- Answer general knowledge questions. Apple says Siri now has broad world knowledge for current information, closer to what you’d get from a chatbot.
- Take actions inside apps. It can draft emails, edit photos and do other tasks across the system. Apple says it already works with WhatsApp and Audible, with Microsoft Outlook, Notability and Tripsy “coming soon.”
- Hold a real conversation. You can ask follow-up questions without repeating yourself, and a dedicated Siri app keeps your conversation history, synced through iCloud.
There are smaller additions too. The Camera app gets a Siri mode for Visual Intelligence, so you can point your phone at something and ask about it. Writing tools can draft a message from a short description and match your tone to the person you’re writing to in Mail and Messages. The Shortcuts app can build automations from a plain description, and Calendar can create events the same way.
How to open Siri AI
On iPhone you can still say “Hey Siri” or hold the side button. Apple has also added a new gesture: swipe down from the Dynamic Island. On iPad and Mac, Siri is built into Spotlight and the right-click (context) menus.
Which iPhones, iPads and Macs support Siri AI?
Siri AI needs a device that supports Apple Intelligence. Apple’s list is:
| Device | Supported models |
|---|---|
| iPhone | iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and all iPhone 16 models or later |
| iPad | iPad mini (A17 Pro) and iPads with an M1 chip or later |
| Mac | Macs with an M1 chip or later, plus MacBook Neo (A18 Pro) |
| Other | Apple Vision Pro; Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Ultra 2 or later and SE 3 when paired with a supported iPhone |
If you have a regular iPhone 15 or anything older, you’ll get iOS 27 if your phone is supported for the update, but not Siri AI. Some extras, such as Apple’s more expressive voices and its most accurate dictation, need even newer hardware: Apple lists the iPhone 17 Pro models, iPhone Air and later for that part.
Is Siri AI available in India, the US and Europe?
At launch, Siri AI works only when your device language is set to English. 9to5Mac reported on 16 September that the first iOS 27.2 beta adds French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish, and Apple itself says those five are “coming next month.”
Apple has named two clear exceptions:
- European Union: Siri AI “will not be available initially in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS.”
- China: Siri AI and the other new Apple Intelligence features will not be available there.
For readers in India, the good news is that Apple’s iOS 27 feature availability page lists English (India) among the supported English variants, alongside US, UK and other regional English settings. Hindi and other Indian languages aren’t listed. So if you have a supported iPhone set to English (India), you should be eligible. Apple updates that page as languages roll out, so it’s the best place to check current status.
Apple also says Siri AI is not available to users under 13.
Does Google see your data? What Apple says about privacy
This is the question most people ask once they hear “Gemini.” Based on Apple’s announcement, Google’s role is in building the models, not in running your requests. Apple says Siri AI uses a mix of on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute, its own server system.
For Private Cloud Compute, Apple’s claim is that “personal data is not stored nor made accessible to Apple or anyone else.” Requests that can be handled on your device stay there.
That’s Apple’s description, and we can’t independently verify how the system works in practice. If you’d rather keep things minimal, you can still choose not to use Siri for personal tasks, or limit which apps Siri can access in Settings.
Is Siri AI free? The daily limits you should know about
Siri AI is included with iOS 27 at no extra cost right now. But there’s a catch in Apple’s fine print: features that run on Apple’s servers are “subject to daily limits,” and Apple says “expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future.”
Apple hasn’t announced a price or a date for that paid tier. For most people doing everyday tasks, the free limits are unlikely to matter yet, but it’s a sign that Apple, like Google and OpenAI, is moving toward paid tiers for heavier AI use. You can see how Google is doing this with Gemini in our explainer on Gemini’s free plan changes.
How to get Siri AI on your iPhone
- Check that your iPhone is on the supported list above (iPhone 15 Pro or newer).
- Back up your phone, then go to Settings > General > Software Update and install iOS 27.
- Make sure your device and Siri language are set to English, since that’s the only language supported at launch.
- Open Settings and look in the Apple Intelligence and Siri section to confirm the features are switched on. Apple Intelligence models download in the background, so give it some time on Wi-Fi.
- Try it with a simple multi-step request, such as asking Siri to find a recent photo and send it to a contact.
If Siri still behaves like the old assistant, check your region and language first, as those are the most common reasons features don’t appear.
Frequently asked questions
Is Siri AI the same as Google Gemini?
No. Apple says Siri AI runs on Apple’s own Foundation Models, which were built in collaboration with Google and its Gemini models. You don’t need a Google account, and requests run on your device or on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers, according to Apple.
Will Siri AI work on iPhone 15?
Only on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus aren’t on Apple’s supported list for Apple Intelligence.
Does Siri AI work in Hindi?
Not as of early October 2026. It launched in English only, and the next languages Apple has named are French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Apple hasn’t announced a date for Hindi.
Will I have to pay for Siri AI?
Not right now. Apple says server-based features have daily limits and that expanded access will cost money “in the future,” but it hasn’t given a price or date.
Is Siri AI available on Apple Watch?
Siri works on supported Apple Watch models paired with a compatible iPhone. Apple’s newer Watch features, Live Rewind and Siri Recap, are due in beta in late 2026 and need an Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4.
For more explainers on AI features in the phones and apps you already use, browse our AI section.