The tech giant Apple is preparing to showcase fresh artificial intelligence capabilities at its yearly developers conference that kicks off Monday, marking the final such gathering under CEO Tim Cook’s leadership before he steps down in favor of John Ternus this September.
The World Wide Developers Conference draws thousands of software developers from approximately 60 nations to Apple’s Silicon Valley campus, typically emphasizing software innovations rather than the autumn hardware launches that introduce new iPhones.
Industry watchers anticipate the company will provide updates on emerging AI functionalities and enhancements, particularly regarding improvements to its Siri voice technology.
“While hardware products are rarely launched at a developer show, we could see hints of Apple’s expansion into foldables, wearables, and smart home products by way of developer and ecosystem updates,” said Emarketer senior analyst Gadjo Sevilla, who called 2026 a “transition year” for the conference.
The company has been working to match its Big Tech competitors in the AI space and currently relies on Google’s Gemini AI model to support its artificial intelligence capabilities.
According to Sevilla, he expects Siri to be transformed into an AI chatbot with enhanced conversational abilities, memory functions to recall past interactions, and the capacity to handle multiple tasks from a single command.
He noted there’s considerable enthusiasm surrounding the possibilities for an improved Siri.
“An upgraded, agentic version of Siri — capable of managing conversations and tasks across iPhones, Macs, and iPads — could become as ubiquitous as features like AirDrop and Handoff, which already unify Apple’s ecosystem,” Sevilla said.
Cook revealed his retirement plans in April, concluding a 15-year tenure during which the company’s market valuation increased by over $4 trillion throughout an iPhone-driven period of growth. Ternus has worked at Apple for 25 years, spending the last five years managing the engineering behind the iPhone, iPad and Mac products, positioning him as a leading choice to replace Cook.
The leadership change occurs during a crucial period for Apple, as artificial intelligence has created the biggest industry disruption since Jobs introduced the original iPhone in 2007. The company has faced challenges in AI development after encountering difficulties delivering promised AI-powered features that were announced almost two years ago.
