Years of ridicule and neglect make it easy to forget just how groundbreaking Siri was upon its release. Predating the likes of Alexa and Google Assistant, Apple’s digital helper still felt like a novelty in the early 2010s. Not only could it grasp natural language, but it was also heavily baked into Apple’s iPhone, allowing it to send texts, make calls, and schedule reminders at the behest of users.
Yet, despite all those pioneering functions, Siri struggled to fit into our lives. What began as a promising assistant quickly became a source of frustration for many, due to its limitations in understanding context and its failure to evolve at the same pace as rival assistants. Over time, Siri's shortcomings made it feel more like a relic of the past than a cutting-edge tool.
Now, Siri is getting a serious glow-up with the help of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that has superseded Apple’s assistant in the eyes of millions of users. Although the upgrade won’t be available to the general public until December at the earliest, you can grab it right now by following a few simple steps.
What to know before downloading Siri with ChatGPT
The new and improved Siri is available as part of the iOS 18.2 developer beta. This is a pre-release version of Apple’s iPhone operating system intended to get developers acclimatised with the latest features.
Whereas it used to be a premium download, Apple made developer betas available to anyone free of charge last year.
We’ll explain how to grab the iOS 18.2 beta further below, but there are a few things you should be aware of first.
Like any preview version of software, Apple’s betas can be unstable. We’ve been playing with the iOS 18 betas for weeks and they do make your iPhone a tad bit slower. For instance, simple functions including the app switcher (the series of thumbnails you see when you swipe up from the bottom of the screen) seem clunkier than before.
Newcomers must sign up for a waitlist to use Apple Intelligence via the iPhone settings. Thankfully, the wait isn’t too long.
Still, for many, it’s probably a small price to pay to sample the new AI features early. As Apple previously announced, the AI software will work only on select iPhone models, namely the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and the iPhone 16 range.
Siri isn’t the only feature included in iOS 18.2. You’ll also be able to use Apple’s AI Image Playground tools to generate cartoonish pics and emoji after registering for early access (look out for the new Playground app), preview the new-look Mail app, and set default apps for things like email and password management.
How to get Siri with ChatGPT
If you’re ready to take the plunge, follow these steps to download the iOS 18.2 developer beta.
Visit the Apple beta software program website:
Go to the Apple beta software program page.
Sign in with your Apple ID:
Click on "Sign up" if you don't have an account, or "Sign in" if you do. Use your Apple ID to log in.
Agree to terms and conditions:
Read and agree to the terms and conditions during the signup process.
Enroll your device:
Once signed in, follow the prompts to enrol your device.
Install the beta profile:
Go to Settings > General > Profile on your iPhone and install the beta profile you downloaded.
Check for software updates:
After installing the profile, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
You should now see the option to download either the iOS 18.1 public beta or the iOS 18.2 developer beta - select the latter to get Siri with ChatGPT and other new AI features.
Enable ChatGPT:
ChatGPT isn’t turned on by default, so you must activate it by heading to settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > ChatGPT > and toggling it on.
Account sign-in:
You’ll be asked if you want to create or sign into a ChatGPT account during set-up. You don’t need an account to use the bot, but it will enable you to access your chat history and, for subscribers, use the latest models and perks. Of course, signing in will also allow ChatGPT creator OpenAI to store and use your data to train its AI models.
Once you’ve completed the above steps, you can access all the latest Apple Intelligence features. These include the perks introduced in iOS 18.1, such as the ability to type to Siri by double tapping at the bottom of the screen. Plus, you’ll see the new Siri animation when you hold down the lock screen button.
How to use Siri with ChatGPT
With iOS 18.2 installed, Siri will essentially hand over any tasks it can’t complete to ChatGPT, with your permission.
Fortunately, you can disable that extra confirmation step by going to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > ChatGPT, and tapping to turn off Confirm ChatGPT Requests.
As usual, you can summon Siri by either saying “Hey Siri” or “Siri” out loud (depending on what you have the call word set as) or by tapping twice on the bottom of the screen to type to Siri.
After you call Siri, you can skip straight to ChatGPT by saying or typing “ask ChatGPT” before your requests.
Is Siri with ChatGPT safe?
Apple says it has taken several steps to ensure that integrating ChatGPT into Siri doesn't compromise user privacy. When users make requests, their IP addresses are masked, adding an extra layer of anonymity to each interaction.
Additionally, these requests are not linked to Apple accounts, meaning your data isn't tied to the queries you make.
Importantly, OpenAI is restricted from retaining or using data from these requests to train its models — unless you’ve linked your ChatGPT account. Apple also limits the data it collects, focusing only on what's necessary to operate the service and prevent fraud.
