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Apple’s long-delayed Siri overhaul is no longer a rumor sitting in a Bloomberg leak. iOS 27 rolled out worldwide on September 14, 2026, and it brought with it the version of Siri people had been waiting almost two years for, one that’s finally built on real conversational AI instead of the old command-based assistant.[1] If you’ve updated your iPhone recently and noticed Siri responding differently, this is why.
What Changed With Siri in iOS 27
The short version: Siri now runs on Google Gemini behind the scenes. Apple and Google confirmed a multi-year partnership back in January 2026, where Apple chose Gemini to power its next generation of AI features instead of building everything in-house.[2] That partnership is what’s now live inside iOS 27 as “Siri AI.” It’s better at understanding natural speech, follows multi-step instructions more reliably, and can read on-screen content to complete tasks without you having to repeat context every time.[3]
Apple isn’t marketing it as “Siri powered by Google” anywhere in the interface, but the underlying technology is confirmed to be Gemini-based, running through a mix of on-device processing and Apple’s cloud infrastructure.
Other Features That Came With iOS 27
Siri AI is the headline feature, but it’s not the only change in this update. iOS 27 also introduced a Liquid Glass opacity slider, letting users adjust how transparent or frosted the interface looks, along with smart photo-editing tools built directly into the Photos app.[4] There are also new parental control options, which Apple has been under pressure to improve for a while.
Which iPhones Get Full Siri AI Support
This is the part a lot of users are getting caught off guard by. iOS 27 itself installs on a wide range of older iPhones, but the full Siri AI experience is limited to newer, more powerful hardware.[5] If you’re on an older iPhone, you’ll get the update and most of the visual changes, but some of the heavier AI processing may run slower or stay limited, since those features depend on on-device chip performance as much as the cloud side.
Siri AI’s Language Rollout Is Still Happening Right Now
Here’s the detail most coverage skipped over: Siri AI didn’t launch in every language at once. It started as an English-only beta in September, and Apple confirmed that French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish support would be added through October 2026.[6] So if you’re using an iPhone set to one of those languages and Siri AI still feels like the old version, that’s expected, not a bug. The rollout is staggered and still in progress as this is being written.
Should You Update to iOS 27 Right Now?
If your iPhone supports it, there’s not much reason to hold off. The update itself is stable, and even on older supported devices, Apple says general performance and app launch speed improved. The AI side of things, Siri AI specifically, is the part still maturing, so don’t expect it to feel like a finished product everywhere yet, especially if you’re outside the initial English-language rollout.
Faqs
Is the new Siri actually powered by Google?
Yes. Apple’s new Siri AI runs on Google Gemini models under a multi-year partnership the two companies confirmed in January 2026, even though Apple doesn’t advertise it that way in the Siri interface itself.
When did iOS 27 release?
iOS 27 launched globally on September 14, 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 lineup.
Why doesn’t Siri AI understand me in my language yet?
Siri AI launched as an English-only beta first. Apple is rolling out French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish support gradually through October 2026.
Do I need a new iPhone to use Siri AI?
No, but the full experience is noticeably better on newer, more powerful iPhone models. Older supported iPhones will still get iOS 27, just with a lighter version of the AI features.