Apple’s long-anticipated Siri update may include a privacy feature that sets it apart from other AI chatbots: auto-deleting conversations.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the new ChatGPT-style Siri app in iOS 27 will offer privacy features that are “unique to the chatbot market.” Privacy will likely be a key focus when Apple introduces the new Siri at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
Many see this relaunch as Apple’s opportunity to catch up in artificial intelligence, since companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft have moved ahead with their own AI assistants. Apple executives are expected to highlight Siri’s more privacy-focused approach, even as they work to make Siri feel like a modern chatbot.
Auto-delete could become Siri’s privacy hook
The auto-delete feature is expected to work much like the retention settings in Apple’s Messages app.
TechCrunch, referencing Gurman, said users might be able to set Siri conversations to delete automatically after 30 days, after one year, or to keep them as long as they want.
Bloomberg also reported that auto-deleting chats will be part of Siri’s privacy-focused design.
This feature is important because AI chatbots often store personal information, such as questions, drafts, health issues, work notes, travel plans, and private conversations.
By offering a built-in retention setting, Apple seems to be positioning Siri as a helpful chatbot that does not keep user history longer than needed.
Siri may launch as a beta
Apple’s return to AI might come with a catch. The new digital assistant could launch as a beta test, even after a two-year delay.
This suggests Apple may be planning a gradual rollout instead of releasing a fully finished assistant right away.
Launching Siri as a beta would give Apple time to improve it after release, but it also highlights the challenges the company faces in updating its AI.
This relaunch is Apple’s chance to regain its place in AI, while Gurman suggested that focusing on privacy may help Apple stand out from more advanced competitors.
Google Gemini remains part of the picture
There may be a catch to Apple’s privacy claims. The first standalone Siri app will likely use Google Gemini, making the chatbot similar to ChatGPT but still branded with Apple’s privacy focus. Gurman also noted that Apple’s privacy messaging might hide the fact that Google is responsible for some of the system’s security.
That tension could become one of the biggest questions around the launch. Apple has long marketed itself as a company that protects user privacy by controlling hardware, software and services tightly.
If the new Siri depends partly on Google technology, Apple will need to explain clearly where user data goes, how long it is stored and which company is responsible for which parts of the AI system.
Genmoji is also getting an upgrade
The Siri update is not the only AI change expected in iOS 27. Apple is also planning to upgrade Genmoji in the new operating system, showing that the company wants to expand its Apple Intelligence features beyond just the assistant.
For Apple, the challenge is not just adding new AI features. The company must show users that its slower, privacy-focused approach can still compete with faster chatbot platforms.
Auto-deleting Siri chats may not be the most exciting feature, but it sends a clear message: the new Siri aims to be helpful without keeping your conversation history forever.
