Apple has made its position unmistakably clear. Siri will not become a romantic companion, a virtual girlfriend, or any form of emotionally bonded digital partner. Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, stated this directly in an interview following WWDC 2026.
Federighi described Siri as a utility – a tool designed to help users accomplish things, not to cultivate emotional dependency. Apple deliberately avoids engineering engagement through attachment to chatbots.
“If you try to interact with Siri as a romantic partner, Siri is not going to be into that. Siri is 100% not interested,” Federighi stated.
He also criticized the approach taken by certain chatbots currently on the market – products that, in his characterization, actively encourage prolonged conversation, prompt users to share personal information, and manufacture a sense of emotional closeness.
Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing, reinforced the company’s position by noting that Apple resists deploying AI simply to appear current. The goal, he explained, is for technology to remain invisible to users – quietly improving existing device features without demanding attention.
Privacy emerged as another defining distinction in Federighi’s remarks. He emphasized that data processed by Siri stays on the user’s device, and Apple itself has no access to that information – a deliberate architectural choice separating Apple’s approach from competitors.
The comments come as Apple recently unveiled expanded Siri capabilities in iOS 27, including deeper AI integration and enhanced awareness of each user’s personal context.
