Apple is set to reveal its most ambitious artificial intelligence push yet at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026, sources confirm. The tech giant will detail how it plans to integrate AI across its ecosystem while allowing users to choose their preferred AI services.
“We believe AI is a really important investment area for Apple, and we’re going to be doing that incrementally on top of what we normally invest in our product roadmap,” Apple CFO Kevan Parekh said during the latest earnings call. The company’s R&D spending has surged 34% year-over-year, reaching 10.3% of revenue in Q2.
Background
Apple’s existing infrastructure gives it a unique advantage: 2.5 billion active devices, most capable of running on-device AI models. This contrasts with pure AI players that require massive cloud investments.
Bloomberg reported this week that Apple will allow customers to select their default AI service — choosing between Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude. A new Extension system will enable these services, potentially creating an “App Store for AI” that Apple could monetize. The full rollout may wait until iOS 27, unveiled at WWDC.
What This Means
For users, this means greater flexibility: Apple Intelligence handles routine tasks, while third-party AI powers complex requests. Siri gets a major upgrade through a customized version of Google Gemini, improving conversational abilities and cross-app task execution.
Privacy remains core to Apple’s strategy. “Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards,” Apple and Google confirmed earlier this year. This positions Apple as the privacy-conscious alternative in the AI race.
Key Details
- BYO-AI: Users can pick Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude as default AI, with full choice in iOS 27.
- Gemini partnership: Foundation models for Siri and other tasks are built with Google.
- Device advantage: 2.5B existing devices form a ready-made AI deployment network.
Analysts say Apple’s approach could disrupt the AI market. “By letting users choose, Apple avoids locking them into one ecosystem while still monetizing the platform,” said tech analyst Carolina Milanesi. “It’s a smart hedge against regulatory scrutiny and user privacy concerns.”
The WWDC keynote is expected in early June. Developers will get early access to new AI APIs, with public rollout later in 2026.