Apple has a new AI personality in the works, which is similar to Siri but is not Siri. Instead, it will be featured on a new line of products, according to a report.
Apple is reportedly working on a new tabletop robot that will have an iPad-like display and robotic arm, much like Meta Portal.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revealed in his newsletter on Sunday that the iPhone maker is also developing a “humanlike” AI personality for its robots.
“One vital piece of the robotic work is the creation of a personality. While Siri is the digital assistant on Apple’s current devices, the company is working on another humanlike interface based on generative AI. It could run on the tabletop product and other future Apple robotics devices, I’m told,” Gurman wrote.
Judging by Gurman’s description, the new AI could have conversational capabilities similar to the new Siri with Apple Intelligence. This means it should be able to understand the context and answer questions while considering your previous conversation.
It makes you wonder—if Siri can already do so much, why would Apple need another AI personality? The answer likely lies in the specific demands of robotic products.
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Unlike Siri, which is designed for mobile devices with limited capabilities, this new AI will need to handle a wide range of tasks, like processing input from vision sensors and microphones. Siri just isn’t built for that kind of complexity.
Even now, Apple has to require the A17 Pro chip or higher to support the new AI-powered Siri. A robot-specific AI will likely need even more computing power to manage its advanced functions.
There isn’t much information about the AI personality or Apple’s robotic products yet.
Gurman suggested that the first robot is expected to launch by 2026 and will cost less than $1,000. It will primarily function as a video conferencing and browsing tool.
