Apple debuts Siri AI: Seven features to test in the iOS 27 beta

The new Siri AI mirrors the functionality of industry-standard chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini. Users can now engage in conversational threads accessible through a dedicated app interface, allowing for complex queries that draw on personal data from emails, notes, and calendar events. Beyond conversation, the assistant leverages Visual Intelligence to analyze content directly on the screen or through the camera lens, identifying objects or providing context for items in the real world.

Creative tools have also received an overhaul. Image Playground now generates realistic photos rather than cartoons, with support for iterative refinements via text prompts. Within the Photos app, new editing capabilities include an 'Extend' function that uses AI to expand frame boundaries and a 'Reframe' tool to adjust shot perspectives. For productivity, the system now features 'Write with Siri' across various text-based apps, alongside enhanced natural language recognition for Calendar and Reminders. Finally, the Shortcuts app has been simplified; users can now generate complex automated workflows by describing them in plain language, removing the technical barrier that previously kept many from utilizing the feature.