Apple unveiled Extensions at WWDC 2026 as part of Apple Intelligence, signaling a shift from relying on Siri alone to a platform model where the iPhone hosts multiple AI assistants.

With iOS 27, Extensions let Siri route requests to several AI providers beyond ChatGPT, including Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude.

Using a different AI provider does not automatically unlock premium features; users must subscribe separately to each provider's paid tier.

Setup involves installing a supported AI app and selecting a default provider in Settings, with the option to assign different providers to different tasks while Siri remains the unified interface.

Apple positions itself as a facilitator of a multi-provider AI ecosystem, shifting focus from beating competitors with Siri to deciding which provider powers the intelligence behind the interface.

Each AI provider may have a distinct voice within Siri to indicate the source, and Extensions apply to complex requests routed to the chosen service.

This change turns Siri into a platform front end for multiple AI services, broadening distribution and integration opportunities for third-party developers.

Apple’s broader AI strategy keeps Siri central while enabling coexistence of multiple models, potentially including Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity, Grok, and Meta AI, with Apple sharing subscription revenue from paid AI services via the App Store.