From Siri AI to iOS27: Everything Apple announced at WWDC 2026

As Tim Cook prepares to hand over the reins to John Ternus, the tech giant's WWDC 2026 keynote was a fitting swan song for the outgoing CEO. But beneath the pomp and circumstance, the real story was Apple's long-overdue revival of Siri. For millions of iPhone users who've had to suffer through a subpar AI assistant, today's announcement was a promise of redemption. And with iOS 27 and a new, rebuilt Siri AI, Apple's finally delivering on a promise it made in 2024.

Tim Cook's WWDC keynote was marked by a significant shift in tone, with a focus on trust, safety, and, above all, AI. Apple's software chief, Craig Federighi, laid out the company's three priorities for the year, with AI at the forefront. But what caught many off guard was the revelation that Apple's rebuilt Siri AI is powered by a next-generation Foundation Model built in collaboration with Google using Gemini, a model that reportedly costs the company around $1 billion a year. It's a staggering sum, one that underscores Apple's commitment to making AI a core part of its offerings.

Apple's decision to rebuild Siri from the ground up is a tacit admission that its previous attempts at AI have fallen short. The company's botched rollout of Siri in 2024 was a major embarrassment, and today's keynote was a chance to make amends. But will Apple's rebuilt AI assistant finally meet user expectations? The answer lies in the details, and the details are sparse for now. We know that Siri AI is powered by Apple's next-generation Foundation Models, but we don't know much about how it'll integrate with other iOS features or how it'll perform in real-world use cases.

One thing's for certain, though: today's announcement comes with a significant asterisk. Apple's $250 million class-action settlement over its undelivered Siri features is still pending, and eligible owners could receive between $25 and $95 per device. It's a sobering reminder that, for all its talk of innovation and progress, Apple is still accountable for its past mistakes.

As Apple's rebuilt Siri AI enters the fray, the AI landscape is about to get a whole lot more competitive. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are all vying for dominance in the AI space, and Apple's late entry into the game raises questions about its ability to catch up. But with a $1 billion-a-year investment in Gemini, Apple's got the resources to make a serious play for AI supremacy. And if today's keynote is any indication, it's not going to go quietly into the night.

As Apple's AI ambitions continue to unfold, one thing's clear: this is a make-or-break moment for the company. Will its rebuilt Siri AI be a turning point, or will it fall flat like its predecessors? The answer lies in the execution, and, for now, Apple's keeping its cards close to its chest. But one thing's for certain: this is a bet that'll pay off, or fail miserably, in a big way.