Apple may put advanced Siri AI features behind a paywall, Tim Cook hints at iCloud+ upgrade
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Apple may monetise Siri AI with iCloud+ as AI race intensifies
Apple CEO Tim Cook has indicated that advanced Siri AI features may eventually require an iCloud+ subscription for heavy users. The move would align Apple's strategy with OpenAI and Anthropic as it prepares to launch its biggest Siri upgrade with iOS 27.
Apple's long-awaited AI-powered Siri could arrive with a subscription twist. During what was his final earnings call as Apple's CEO, Tim Cook suggested that users who rely heavily on the upgraded Siri may eventually have to pay for additional AI computing through the company's iCloud+ plans. The comments offer one of the clearest indications yet of how Apple plans to monetise its biggest AI upgrade, as the company prepares to launch the new Siri more broadly later this year with iOS 27.
Apple could follow the ChatGPT subscription model
Cook said Apple expects many users to rely heavily on Siri AI and is exploring upgrade options through iCloud+. "We do believe there will be people that want to use it a lot," Cook said, adding that users may be able to purchase additional AI capacity as part of higher iCloud+ subscription tiers. However, he stressed that the plans are still being evaluated. The approach mirrors rivals such as OpenAI and Anthropic, which offer free AI access while charging subscribers for higher usage limits and premium capabilities.
Siri AI arrives at a crucial moment
The upgraded Siri is one of Apple's most important AI projects. It is already available in the iOS 27 beta and is expected to roll out publicly this autumn. The launch comes after repeated delays that allowed competitors such as ChatGPT, Claude and Google's Gemini to establish themselves as leading AI assistants. Apple has even integrated a customised version of Google's Gemini into Siri for certain AI tasks, highlighting the company's efforts to close the gap in generative AI.
Apple faces growing AI and hardware pressures
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The Siri overhaul also arrives as Apple navigates rising AI infrastructure costs and industry-wide component shortages. The company recently increased prices for several Mac and iPad models, while avoiding changes to current iPhone pricing. AI-related demand for memory chips has driven up manufacturing costs across the technology industry. Meanwhile, Apple settled a class-action lawsuit over how it marketed AI features for the iPhone 16 after delays to its Siri rollout. Whether advanced Siri AI ultimately becomes part of a paid iCloud+ tier remains undecided. But Cook's comments suggest Apple is increasingly looking at subscriptions not just hardware sales to fund its next generation of AI services.
