WWDC 2026: Craig Federighi Explains Apple's Decision to Launch a Siri AI App

Apple introduced a slew of AI features during the keynote address at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Part of the Apple Intelligence suite, it announced several upgrades for Siri, the Cupertino-based tech giant's digital assistant. One of the highlights was the dedicated Siri AI app. The move marked a notable shift in strategy for Apple, with the company previously arguing against building a standalone chatbot experience. The decision was later explained by an Apple executive.

Siri AI App Designed Around Conversation Continuity

Speaking during a Q&A session following the WWDC 2026 keynote at Apple Park, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, addressed comments he and Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Greg Joswiak, had made last year. At the time, the executives had emphasised that the company's vision for Apple Intelligence centred around experiences integrated throughout the operating system rather than a standalone chatbot user.

During the discussion, Federighi explained the rationale behind the new Siri AI app, claiming that Apple still views Siri as a deeply integrated system experience rather than a separate chatbot (via 9to5Mac). However, the tech giant reportedly determined that a dedicated app was the most straightforward way for users to revisit previous conversations, continue ongoing interactions, and manage their chat history across Apple devices.

As per the executive, a challenge emerged when Apple began considering how users would revisit earlier conversations with Siri AI. With the assistant becoming more capable and conversations growing longer, there was a requirement for users to access previous chats and continue unfinished ones more conveniently. Federighi said Apple debated several approaches internally before concluding that a dedicated app offered the most intuitive solution.

"We see Siri not as a separate chatbot, just an unintegrated place you go and chit-chat, but rather as an integral, conversational tool that you use in the moment, deeply integrated into your experience," 9to5Mac quoted Federighi as saying.

The Apple executive emphasised that Siri continues to be a part of the broader OS experience.

Apple says the new Siri app serves as a hub for both new and previous conversations. Users can launch the app to continue ongoing discussions or revisit earlier interactions with the assistant. The company also highlighted that Siri conversation history is synced privately through iCloud. This means users can start a conversation on one Apple device and continue it on another.

However, not all users will receive the app at launch. At WWDC, the company confirmed that Siri AI will not be available on iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 in the European Union when the software updates are released later this year. This was attributed to the delay in ongoing disagreements with EU regulators over the implementation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The timeline for its availability has yet to be announced.