Apple debuts Siri AI at WWDC as Tim Cook prepares to hand over the reins

At WWDC 2026, Apple unveiled a rebuilt Siri, new AI photography tools, and a stand-alone assistant app in its most ambitious AI push to date.

On Monday, Apple held its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, in what was both Tim Cook’s last as chief executive and what analysts have dubbed as the company’s most high-stakes showcase in years. At the event, Apple debuted a new and improved Siri—rebranded as Siri AI—as the company sought to answer mounting questions about its place in the AI race. The revamped assistant, which can draw on real-time information and personal device data, marks the company’s most significant AI push to date.

The event comes at a pivotal moment for Apple. The company has been under pressure to stay current as other leading tech giants continue making gains in the AI space. Its first attempt at an AI offering—Apple Intelligence, released in October 2024—was widely considered a misstep owing to several feature delays and what was seen as overpromising on capabilities that were not ready for launch. In the run-up to WWDC, however, Apple has seen its shares approach record levels, lifted by continued iPhone sales strength and a January agreement to bring Google’s AI into its ecosystem.

Perhaps most hotly anticipated among Monday’s updates were Apple’s new AI features, chief among them a new Siri. Apple says the revamped assistant, unveiled by Apple vice president Mike Rockwell, can understand personal context and what apps across a device can do, fulfilling improvements Apple first promised in 2024. Siri AI can draw on both real-time world knowledge and information stored on a user’s device.

Apple says Siri AI is more conversational and allows users to go back and forth across multiple exchanges, receiving longer, more detailed answers. The new Siri will include a stand-alone app, which positions it to compete more directly with tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude. It also comes with new voices that are customizable.

As Apple continues to carve out its identity in the AI race, the company was keen to differentiate itself from rival tech companies and stake out a distinct approach to AI during the event. Taking a few swipes at several AI companies, Apple’s software chief, Craig Federighi, took the time to emphasize the company’s focus on privacy and user experience.

“Some appear to be racing forward, seemingly pursuing AI for the sake of AI, without clear regard for the people, all of us, that it’s ultimately meant to serve. At Apple, our mission has always been to turn the potential of advanced technology into helpful and intuitive products for everyone,” Federighi said. “Many AI providers talk about privacy, but by default, most of them retain your personal interactions, leaving the onus on you to defend your privacy.”

Alongside Siri, Apple also announced a shift into AI-enhanced photography with a new feature called Spatial Reframing, which uses 3D modeling to let users adjust the angle or composition of an existing photo after it has been taken. The company also revealed a second version of its Apple Foundation Models, capable of processing speech, text, and images, with Apple Intelligence coordinating across them through a new system orchestrator.

Analysts have been putting pressure on Apple to deliver a clear AI strategy. Prior to Monday’s event, Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, called it the most important WWDC in the conference’s 43-year history. Munster said that if Apple delivers on the new Siri, the company’s AI narrative could shift from follower to leader, with a corresponding boost to its stock. If it falls flat, he argued, investor patience—already stretched thin after two years of underwhelming AI progress—will likely fray further. Morgan Stanley took a similar stance, calling WWDC 2026 a key catalyst for Apple stock, with the potential to reframe the company as an “AI winner.”

Apple’s stock rose around 2% at Monday’s open, but slid during the WWDC keynote.

Design upgrades and new tools for parents

Outside of AI, Apple announced a series of design upgrades, a search overhaul, and new trust and safety tools.

The company introduced updates to Liquid Glass, the design language it introduced across its devices last year, to make the system more customizable. Users can now adjust window transparency and tweak text labels and toolbars. Apple also said it has tuned macOS to open apps faster and feel more responsive.

Apple announced it had also overhauled the search index that underpins Spotlight and other system features, with the company saying the rebuild makes its search tools more stable and efficient. Content will now be indexed as it is created, which Apple said will improve search across the device, including in the Mail app.

The company also unveiled a suite of new trust and safety controls aimed at giving parents greater oversight of their children’s device and app usage. A new setup assistant walks parents through configuring which apps their children can access and for how long. Children using Safari on an iPhone, an iPad, or a Mac will now need parental approval before visiting certain websites.

Tim Cook’s farewell

Monday’s WWDC was also the last to be hosted by outgoing CEO Tim Cook, who rounded the event off on a personal note.

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to help advance that mission with teams whose creativity, care, and conviction continue to make a lasting difference in people’s lives,” Cook said of his time at the company.

After nearly 15 years at the helm, Apple announced in April that Cook will step down as chief executive, with the transition set for Sept. 1. John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, will take over as CEO, while Cook assumes the role of executive chairman. Over 25 years at Apple, Ternus has been a key architect of the company’s hardware pipeline, overseeing engineering for the iPad, AirPods, and recent iPhone models. His selection is widely seen as a signal that Apple’s board believes the next decade of competition will be won or lost at the hardware-AI intersection.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com