The Era of Choosing Your Own Siri AI Has Arrived — What Changed with iOS 27
With iOS 27 on September 14, 2026, you can now choose from Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT as the AI powering Siri. Apple partnered with Google for an estimated $1 billion/year to rebuild Siri's brain with Gemini. Here's how the new system works — and how a single setting change switches AI across your entire iPhone.
"Every time I ask Siri something, the answer is just a little off..." Sound familiar?
On September 14, 2026, Apple released iOS 27 — the operating system (OS) that powers iPhones. This update is on a different level from those that came before. Siri's underlying intelligence has been replaced, and on top of that, you can now switch to any AI you like — Google Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, and more.
What Is This?
iOS 27 is the annual fall update to the iPhone's operating system that Apple releases every year. This year's headline feature is a new system called "Apple Intelligence Extensions."
Put simply, Siri has gone from a "set-menu diner" to "catering where you can choose your own chef." It's a major change that affects the everyday usability of your entire iPhone.
What Has Changed?
There are two big changes.
Change 1: Siri's Brain Is Now "Gemini"
In January 2026, Apple struck a major deal with Google. They agreed to pay an estimated $1 billion per year to adopt Google's AI, "Gemini," as the new brain powering Siri.
The old Siri was built on AI that Apple developed on its own, and it struggled with complex questions. With the switch to a Gemini-based foundation, Siri's ability to understand long passages and its accuracy have improved significantly. It now handles vague questions like "What was that movie — that Korean one I watched last year?" much more effectively.
Change 2: Switch to Claude or ChatGPT with a Single Setting
iOS 27 also adds "Extensions" — a feature that lets you connect your preferred AI to Siri.
There are currently four supported AIs:
| AI | Provider | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini | Research, translation, information lookup | |
| Claude | Anthropic | Text proofreading, analysis |
| ChatGPT | OpenAI | Brainstorming, creative tasks |
| Grok | xAI | Real-time information |
Change the setting once, and every AI feature on your iPhone — questions to Siri, text proofreading in Notes, image generation, and more — will run on the AI you selected. No more switching between separate apps every time.
Switching is just 3 steps:
- Download the AI app you want from the App Store (e.g., the Claude app)
- Open "Settings" → "Apple Intelligence & Siri"
- Select the AI you want from the list and you're done
How Can You Actually Use This?
Scenario 1: Let Claude Polish Your Work Emails
After writing a thank-you email to a client, you'd open Claude.ai in your browser, copy and paste the text, ask it to "rewrite this more politely," then copy the revised version back into your mail app — a two-step workaround every single time.
Write your email in the iPhone Mail app, then just tap "Improve Writing." Claude polishes the text right there. Zero copying and pasting required.
Scenario 2: Ask "Hey Siri" and Have Gemini Look Things Up for You
"What's the weather in Tokyo today?" "What's the current USD/JPY exchange rate?" — just speak to your phone and Gemini answers with up-to-date information. Its ability to handle current news and real-world topics is on a completely different level from the old Siri.
Scenario 3: Have ChatGPT Help Plan Your Trip
Just say: "I want to plan a trip to Hakone next month for a family of four — my kids are 6 and 9. Can you come up with a recommended plan?" ChatGPT will pull together travel ideas for you.
If you're not sure which AI suits you best, start with Gemini (free). Once you feel like you want more, install the free Claude or ChatGPT app and compare — you'll quickly notice the differences.
What Does It Cost?
Siri's basic features are free for anyone with an iPhone. However, switching to Claude or ChatGPT requires a paid subscription to those services.
- ✓Works immediately on any iPhone
- ✓Basic questions, text proofreading, image generation
- ✓High-performance mode on iPhone 15 Pro and later
- ✓Switches Siri and text tools to Claude
- ✓Great for proofreading, analyzing, and summarizing long documents
- ✓Strong at working through complex documents
- ✓Makes Siri run on ChatGPT
- ✓Great for brainstorming and creative tasks
- ✓Includes image generation (DALL-E)
If you subscribe to a monthly plan through the iPhone App Store, Apple may take a commission (15–30%). Subscribing directly through Claude's or ChatGPT's official website can sometimes get you the same plan for less.
Note that iPhone 15 Pro and later models are the target devices. Basic features will work on iPhone 15 (standard) and others, but accessing the more powerful AI models requires iPhone 15 Pro or later.
Summary
With iOS 27, Siri has transformed from "a voice assistant locked to one AI" into "a platform where you choose the AI you want." And the setup takes just 3 steps.
This is especially recommended if you:
- Have felt that the current Siri just isn't cutting it
- Already use ChatGPT or Claude but find it a hassle to open those apps separately each time
- Want to try AI but don't know where to begin
Start by updating to iOS 27 and trying out the new Gemini-powered Siri.
Apple Intelligence Official Information (apple.com)
Related Articles
See also related articles on the purpose-based AI guide and Gemini workspace integrations.
- The Complete Purpose-Based AI Guide [Autumn 2026] — How to Use ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Grok, and Gemini for Different Needs
- Check Asana and Salesforce Right from Google Docs—Gemini Now Connects to 7 Business Tools
- "Always Formal and Brief" Now Works in Gmail, Sheets, and Slides Too — Gemini Custom Instructions Expand Across All of Workspace
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