Siri AI Upgrade May Introduce Paywall for Power Users

In his final earnings call as Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook revealed plans for an upgraded Siri AI that could include paid features. He mentioned that users might be able to gain extra computing power through their existing iCloud+ plans, which currently offer more cloud storage. Cook explained, "We believe some users will want to heavily utilize [Siri AI], so we’ll have upgrade options on iCloud+ for users to enhance their experience." This model mirrors strategies used by companies like Anthropic and OpenAI, which offer free and premium versions. The revamped Siri AI is part of the iOS 27 beta and is expected to launch more broadly this fall. As John Ternus steps in as CEO, he will face challenges, including Apple’s slow AI assistant development. Apple has also licensed a custom Gemini model from Google to improve Siri. The project has encountered delays, leading to a $250 million settlement over a class action lawsuit related to misleading marketing about the iPhone 16's AI features. Like many hardware companies, Apple is dealing with cost increases due to an AI-related RAM shortage, causing Mac and iPad prices to rise, while iPhone prices have stayed the same.