The news: Apple will let iPhone users choose which AI model runs on their device, according to insiders, per Bloomberg. 

iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 will introduce “Extensions” in September, a feature that plugs third-party large language models (LLMs) directly into Siri, Writing Tools, and Image Playground. 

Google and Anthropic are in beta testing the solution and OpenAI’s ChatGPT stays as an option but not the default.

Why it’s worth watching: Apple’s absent homegrown AI agent may be its smartest move. Offloading model responsibility to Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI reduces its liability when those models hallucinate or go dark and position Apple as a clearing house for the latest AI apps.

• Apple is expected to introduce a dedicated App Store section to highlight compatible AI apps, creating a new discovery layer, ostensibly curated for security and utility.
• AI availability could vary by geography. For China, the update could unlock domestic models like DeepSeek, a meaningful opening for regional marketing strategies, per TechNode.

Apple’s AI play is converting 2.5 billion active devices into AI endpoints without building the models itself or supporting the infrastructure and energy costs of AI usage. 

Zooming in: The Extensions framework turns AI providers into App Store tenants, subject to Apple's curation and security standards. Last year, Apple's App Store earned nearly $900 million from genAI apps in 2025, per data from AppMagic cited by The Wall Street Journal. 

For users, genuine model choice means they can match the right tool to the task: Claude for writing, Gemini for search-heavy queries, ChatGPT for general use.

While an open market of AI solutions brings unprecedented choice, model fragmentation could  break output consistency. If one user’s Siri runs Gemini and another runs Claude, the same prompt could result in different answers.

Implications for brands: Increased AI choice for consumers could mean unprecedented fragmentation for brands and marketers deciding which AI models to prioritize for their campaigns, product data, and consumer touchpoints.

Apple's smartphones, tablets, and computers represent a large ecosystem for AI engagement—and a complex one. The more AI models running across that installed base, the harder it becomes for brands to audit what consumers actually experience when they engage with Siri.

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