Apple reportedly bringing third-party AI chatbots to CarPlay

While AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Gemini feature conversational voice mode, the apps don’t exactly work well with Apple CarPlay. That will soon change, it appears, with an upcoming iOS software update.

Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reports that Apple is planning to open up CarPlay to voice-enabled chatbot apps. This would enable use while driving without interacting with the iPhone.

Per the report:

The company is working to support the apps in CarPlay within the coming months, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plan hasn’t been announced.

Apple only allows select categories of CarPlay apps, including entertainment, navigation, and communication. Allowing voice-enabled chatbot apps would be a major update for CarPlay, especially when automakers are already integrating AI-powered voice mode features without CarPlay.

According to the report, Apple does not plan to allow users to replace Siri at the voice assistant level, however. Instead, this would just be a safer way to interact with a new category of iPhone apps through CarPlay.

There will still be limits. Apple won’t let users replace the Siri button on CarPlay or the wake word that summons the service. Instead, users will need to open the app to activate the third-party voice control, the people said. 

The move is also separate from Apple’s efforts to enhance Siri capabilities with Apple Intelligence, which will soon be upgraded using Google’s Gemini behind the scenes.

The report doesn’t say if the CarPlay update will be part of an upcoming iOS 26 release or saved for iOS 27. Apple is expected to ship the first version of Siri that relies on Gemini in iOS 26.4. Apple will preview iOS 27 a few months later in June.

Mark Gurman has also reported for Bloomberg that Apple plans to overhaul Siri during the iOS 27 cycle. According to Gurman, Apple plans to announce actual chatbot features for Siri later this year.

Read the report in full at Bloomberg.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.