Apple Intelligence may start using third-party AI on iOS 27. | Image by PhoneArena
Apple is known as a closed company, but that may change with its upcoming software releases. Alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, the company will launch iOS 27, which may revolutionize how AI works on its devices.
iOS 27 may let you run Apple Intelligence with your favorite AI model
Apple may allow users to choose from select third-party AI models to run Apple Intelligence features across the company’s operating systems. The company is planning to allow chatbots like Claude and Gemini to power system-wide features on iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, according to a Bloomberg report.
With the new access, third-party AI will be able to replace Apple’s own models for features such as Writing Tools and Image Playground. The company may also allow users to select a chatbot different from ChatGPT as the external AI inside Siri.
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Different Siri voices for different AI
ChatGPT is the only third-party chatbot integrated in iOS. | Image by PhoneArena
Another significant change could be the options for users to pick different Siri voices for different AI models. That would let the voice assistant use one voice when answering with one of Apple’s models, and another voice when it’s running on ChatGPT or Gemini.
This change would allow users to quickly recognize where their answers are coming from. Such a feature could also be important for Apple, as the company is planning to inform users it’s not responsible for content generated by third-party models.
Coming through the new “Extensions” feature
Apple is reportedly going to refer to the new capabilities as “Extensions” across iOS 27. The new feature will allow the selection of a compatible AI model through the Settings app, though AI model providers need to opt in to appear in the new menu.
Which is your favorite AI app?
Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic will be able to add “Extensions” support through their apps. If a compatible AI app is installed on the device, users will have the option to set it as the model to use with Apple Intelligence.
While ChatGPT has been the only third-party chatbot available through Apple Intelligence, Apple is now running internal tests with Claude and Gemini. The company is already partnering with Google to use its models as the foundation for the long-overdue Siri update.
Good news for everyone but OpenAI
If those changes materialize, Apple users will have unusual flexibility when choosing how to use AI on their devices. That would make iPhones feel like a good platform to use AI, and it would give AI companies a surprising level of access to that massive platform.
The big loser here is OpenAI, which was the only chatbot available through Siri since the 2024 launch of Apple Intelligence. Considering that the company may be working on its own smartphone, that may not be so surprising.
I’m not particularly excited about any of those features, though. AI has proven much less useful in daily life than the surrounding hype would’ve suggested, and I need to see it in action before making my decision.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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