Report says Apple may let users choose an AI model in iOS 27

In short: A report says Apple is planning to let people pick which AI model powers Apple Intelligence in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.

What happened

Apple may soon give users more choice over the “brain” behind its built-in AI features. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple is working on a system where third-party chatbots can run Apple Intelligence features across the whole device.

These third-party options would be offered as “Extensions.” Think of an extension like swapping the engine in a car while keeping the same dashboard. You would still use Apple’s tools, but a different AI model could be doing the writing or answering behind the scenes.

The report says these extensions could power Siri and also other Apple Intelligence features such as Writing Tools (features that help rewrite and summarize text) and Image Playground (a tool for generating images). Today, ChatGPT is the only third-party AI model integrated into Apple Intelligence, but that could expand.

Gurman also says Apple may let users set different Siri voices depending on which AI model is active. For example, Siri using Apple’s own model could have one voice, while Siri using ChatGPT could have another.

Users would reportedly enable these options by installing compatible AI apps from the App Store, then choosing their preferred provider in the Settings app. The report says Apple is testing integrations with Google and Anthropic internally.

Why it matters

For regular users, this could mean more control and better fit. Different AI models can be better at different tasks, like one being stronger at writing and another being better at explanations. It also raises practical questions to watch, such as which options Apple allows, how clearly it explains data sharing, and whether some features work better with certain providers.

Source: The Verge AI