Apple CEO John Ternus has pressed software chief Craig Federighi to speed up the company's AI roadmap and push past incremental Siri fixes, according to a report published Sunday. In a private meeting in recent weeks, Ternus urged Federighi to pursue more ambitious AI capabilities, frustrated by what he sees as a reluctance inside Apple to move with the same urgency as its competitors.
The core ask centers on Siri. Ternus wants the assistant to handle tasks on its own rather than waiting for a fresh instruction at every step, the kind of independent agent behavior rivals are already shipping. Federighi, who took control of the Siri effort after Apple's previous AI leadership struggled, has raised concerns about the privacy, security and broader impact of AI.
Apple is not starting from zero. The rebuilt Siri entered beta in September with personal context, onscreen awareness and the ability to take actions inside apps.
Key facts
- 01Apple CEO John Ternus pressed software chief Craig Federighi in a private meeting to accelerate Apple's AI roadmap.
- 02Ternus wants Siri to complete tasks on its own instead of waiting for step-by-step user instructions.
- 03Siri actions in iOS 27.3 could reach Apple's own apps as early as December, with third-party apps possibly next spring.
- 04A more autonomous, agent-style Siri could begin arriving as early as 2027.
- 05Apple's research and development spending rose 32% in fiscal 2026.
The next step arrives with iOS 27.3, which is expected to let Siri organize Safari tabs, edit messages and carry out multiple actions in Photos. Support in Apple's own apps could land as early as December, and third-party app integration may follow next spring.
A more autonomous Siri, one that completes ongoing tasks without individual commands, could begin arriving as early as 2027. That is the version Ternus is pushing Federighi's teams to deliver sooner.
The timeline reflects how Apple plans. Its software teams typically work on a 12- to 18-month horizon, while hardware is mapped several years ahead, so a push from the CEO now mostly shapes features that ship in 2027 and beyond.
The pressure lands amid leadership questions inside the Siri organization. Mike Rockwell, the engineering vice president who led Vision Pro and the new Siri, continues to seriously consider leaving Apple, with a possible 2027 departure first reported in April. If Rockwell leaves, Amar Subramanya, a former Google executive, would likely take on more responsibility.
Sebastien Marineau, a Federighi deputy who leads the teams integrating AI into iOS, is viewed by some employees as a possible eventual successor to Federighi, though Apple has no succession plan in place.
Apple's spending is already moving in the direction Ternus wants. The company's research and development expenses rose 32% in fiscal 2026, according to its annual filing.
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