Apple built an internal chatbot app called Veritas to test a major Siri upgrade

Apple has developed a ChatGPT-style iPhone app to test major upgrades coming to Siri next year, according to ￰0￱ app, called Veritas, is designed for internal use ￰1￱ are using it to test whether the new version of Siri can finally compete with smarter assistants like Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ￰2￱ current plan is to launch the updated Siri as early as March 2025, after multiple delays and failed ￰3￱ was built by Apple’s internal AI division to help engineers test Siri’s new abilities more ￰4￱ this app, employees can simulate how Siri handles private data, like emails, music, and photos, and test if it can carry out actions like editing or ￰5￱ has no plans to release Veritas to ￰6￱ exists to let developers push the new Siri software without waiting for full OS ￰7￱ tests new large language model with Veritas Veritas is running on a new backend system called Linwood, which uses a large language model trained by Apple’s Foundation Models team along with tech from an unnamed third ￰8￱ works like popular chatbots; users can have multiple conversations, go back to earlier chats, ask follow-up questions, and interact with the system in longer exchanges.

It’s all designed to test how well Siri can handle real human ￰9￱ updated Siri was originally supposed to launch in spring 2024, but Apple had to delay the rollout after internal tests showed the features failed about one-third of the ￰10￱ failure triggered a leadership shakeup. Apple’s AI chief, John Giannandrea, and several key deputies were sidelined, and Robby Walker, the executive who previously led the Siri team, is leaving the company in ￰11￱ losing control of Siri, Robby started a new internal team called AKI, short for Answers, Knowledge, and ￰12￱ group is now building new AI-based search features for ￰13￱ has already started building more features on top of ￰14￱ new version will be able to recognize what’s showing on a user’s screen and act on it; something the current Siri can’t do.

It’ll also allow users to move around their devices using just voice ￰15￱ helps test all ￰16￱ also includes tools that let engineers gather information from the internet and see AI-generated ￰17￱ explores deals with AI firms while redesigning Siri Apple isn’t doing this alone. It’s been shopping around for external ￰18￱ this year, it held talks with OpenAI about using its models in ￰19￱ came discussions with Anthropic, the makers of Claude. Now, Apple is deep in talks with Google about integrating a custom version of Gemini into Siri’s ￰20￱ deal has been finalized, but Apple is keeping its options ￰21￱ all this testing is going on, Apple is also preparing a visual redesign for ￰22￱ new interface is expected before the end of ￰23￱ company is working on more AI features for HomePod, Apple TV, and even smart home devices that haven’t been announced ￰24￱ of this is part of Apple’s broader strategy to stay in the AI ￰25￱ all the internal activity, Apple isn’t planning to release Veritas to customers.

That’s consistent with what Apple executives have said ￰26￱ June, Apple software chief Craig Federighi told Tom’s Guide that chatbots like Veritas are powerful, but “remain not our primary goal.” When asked about releasing something like ChatGPT, Craig said, “Time will tell where we go there.” Siri’s delayed launch and the failed spring rollout forced Apple to rethink its entire AI ￰27￱ company knows it’s ￰28￱ it launched the iPhone 17 this month, it didn’t even mention its in-house AI ￰29￱ Apple isn’t dropping the ￰30￱ Veritas app is being used to pressure-test every feature ahead of the 2025 ￰31￱ or not Siri catches up to its competitors, Apple is betting it still has time to fix its voice assistant before AI becomes the deciding factor in smartphone ￰32￱ Difference Wire helps crypto brands break through and dominate headlines fast