Apple Intelligence might be getting a proper “choose your fighter” moment.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is reportedly working on a way for users to select their preferred AI model across Apple Intelligence in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. These updates are expected later this year, and if the plan ships, Apple’s AI features may no longer be tied mainly to Apple’s own models plus ChatGPT.
The reported system would use third-party AI “Extensions.” Basically, if an AI provider supports Apple’s system through its App Store app, users could install that app and then pick it inside Settings as their preferred AI model.
That could affect more than just Siri. Gurman says compatible third-party models may be able to power system-wide Apple Intelligence features, including Siri, Writing Tools, and Image Playground.
For Malaysian and SEA users, this is actually a pretty big deal. A lot of us use iPhones, iPads, and Macs across work, study, content creation, and daily messaging. If Apple lets people choose between different AI providers, users can pick the model that fits their workflow better instead of being stuck with one default.
One model might be stronger for rewriting emails. Another might be better at summarising notes. Another could feel more natural for creative prompts. For multilingual users here — English, BM, Mandarin, Tamil, rojak chat style and all — model choice could matter a lot.
There’s also a fun Siri detail: Apple may let different AI models use different Siri voices. So Apple’s own AI could have one voice, while Siri running through ChatGPT could use another. That sounds small, but it helps users know what system is actually answering them.
Right now, ChatGPT is the only third-party model integrated into Apple Intelligence. But Apple is reportedly already testing integrations with Google and Anthropic internally. The Verge also notes that Google’s models are powering Apple’s upcoming Siri revamp, so Apple clearly isn’t pretending it can do everything alone.
That makes this rumour feel believable. Apple’s AI rollout has been slower and more cautious than rivals like Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft. Letting users plug in outside AI models could be Apple’s way of keeping the iPhone experience polished while still giving people access to stronger or more specialised AI systems.
For SEA buyers, the impact depends on what actually becomes available locally. If AI providers need to opt in through App Store apps, then support may vary by region, language, and service availability. So don’t assume every model will instantly appear in Malaysia on day one.
Still, the direction is interesting. Instead of Apple Intelligence being one fixed AI layer, iOS 27 could make it more like a platform — where Siri and built-in tools become the interface, but the brain behind them can change.
If this lands properly, choosing your AI model might become as normal as choosing your default browser or keyboard. For iPhone users who already live inside Apple’s ecosystem, that’s a much more useful upgrade than another shiny AI demo that nobody actually uses.
Source: The Verge