The new Siri AI answers queries – nothing more. But statements from leading Apple managers after WWDC and a prediction from a well-informed source suggest that Apple already has its sights set on the next step: a system that performs tasks independently, instead of just waiting for commands.
In Bloomberg's Power-On newsletter, Mark Gurman suggests that Apple could develop a direct competitor to OpenClaw in the long term - that is, to the type of agentic AI that autonomously operates software on behalf of the user. Specifically, he expects a system capable of independently controlling software on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. This assessment is based on comments made by Apple's Siri development chief, Mike Rockwell, following the WWDC keynote. However, nothing has been confirmed - the recently unveiled new Siri remains a request-based system for the time being.
What separates an agentic system from today's Siri?
The difference lies in the way they work. An agentic system operates in a loop: It continuously gathers information, makes its own decisions, and then executes actions – without requiring a new command for each individual step. This is exactly how agentic tools like OpenClaw, which process tasks independently, and similar offerings from Google and Anthropic function.
The current Siri is still some way off from that. Although it was rebuilt based on a large language model, it still responds to individual requests. A fully-fledged computer-use function, where the assistant independently opens apps, chains together steps, and completes tasks, would be a significant expansion beyond what Apple demonstrated last week.
An architecture designed for expansion
Gurman's prediction is bolstered by Rockwell's choice of words. The Siri chief described the new engine behind the assistant as a fundamentally modern architecture, deliberately designed for extensibility. He openly stated the difference between the current state and a true agent: An agent makes decisions and acts in a continuous loop, while Siri has so far primarily reacted to requests. The crucial point: The underlying architecture is so modern that the assistant can be expanded in this direction relatively easily in the future.
While Rockwell didn't promise anything, they clearly left the door open for a later agent-based upgrade. For a prediction like Gurman's, this is the crucial basis – it's not based on pure speculation, but on the self-description of the person in charge.
Restraint at the top of the software industry
Apple's software chief, Craig Federighi, offered a considerably more cautious assessment. While acknowledging agent-based systems as a distinct category, he described them as experimental. The primary objective, he stated, is currently to develop the right user experience. He did not rule out Apple's future involvement, but he also refrained from committing to anything specific.
This double message is typical of Apple: signaling interest in a technology without mentioning a date or a specific product. Between the extensible architecture described by Rockwell and the wait-and-see approach articulated by Federighi lies precisely the leeway that Apple prefers to keep for itself when it comes to new product categories.
From assistant to actor
Overall, the picture that emerges is of a corporation that wants to create the technical prerequisites for an agent-based system, but is deliberately keeping its cards close to its chest regarding the timing. The next generation of Apple Intelligence shows that Apple is expanding its AI capabilities step by step, rather than announcing everything at once. Whether this will actually result in an OpenClaw competitor remains to be seen – but according to statements from Cupertino, the architecture for it already seems to be in place. (Image: Shutterstock / Only_NewPhoto)
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