KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia’s benchmark index recouped earlier losses to settle higher, maintaining a more than six-year high, buoyed by continued buying interest in technology stocks, while the strengthening of the ringgit against the US dollar further lifted investor sentiment. At 2.27 pm today, the local currency strengthened to 3.9992 versus the greenback, its strongest level in more than seven years. It was last seen at this level on June 18, 2018, at 3.9960/9990. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 2.85 points or 0.17 per cent to 1,719.99 from yesterday’s close of 1,717.14. The index surpassed its previous peak of 1,719.00 recorded on Feb 26, 2019. The barometer index opened 1.30 points lower at 1,715.84 and moved between an intraday low of 1,711.89 in early trade and a high of 1,723.41 in late afternoon before slipping slightly toward the close. However, market breadth was negative with decl...
Apple Inc. is preparing a major overhaul of Siri, transforming it into the company’s first true AI chatbot as it races to catch up with rivals like OpenAI and Google, according to Bloomberg.
The revamped Siri, internally code-named Campos, will be deeply embedded across iPhone, iPad and Mac operating systems. Unlike today’s voice assistant, the new Siri will support natural, chat-style conversations, allowing users to ask follow-up questions, type requests, and complete more complex tasks — similar to ChatGPT or Google Gemini.
This marks a strategic pivot for Apple, which has historically resisted standalone chatbots in favour of weaving AI quietly into features. However, after a rocky rollout of Apple Intelligence in 2024 and growing competitive pressure, the company is now embracing conversational AI more directly.
The chatbot is expected to be previewed at WWDC in June and released around September, alongside new versions of iOS, iPadOS and macOS. Shares of Apple rose on the news, signalling investor optimism that the long-awaited AI reset may finally be taking shape.
Behind the scenes, the effort is being led by Craig Federighi, following leadership changes that consolidated Apple’s AI strategy under his control. The system will rely heavily on Google-developed AI models, with Apple paying roughly US$1 billion annually for access — though Apple is designing the platform so models can be swapped out in the future.
Why This Matters
Apple’s move is more than a Siri upgrade. It reflects a broader acknowledgment that chatbots are becoming a core interface, not just an optional feature. With competitors already embedding AI deeply into their ecosystems, Apple risks falling behind without a comparable experience.
At the same time, Apple is expected to limit how much the chatbot “remembers” users, prioritising privacy — a key differentiator from rivals.
Quick Summary
Apple plans to turn Siri into a full AI chatbot later this year
The new Siri will be embedded across iPhone, iPad and Mac
Chat-style interactions will replace the current assistant experience
The system will rely on Google’s AI models, at least initially
Apple aims to unveil the feature at WWDC in June, with release in September
Apple is abandoning its cautious stance and betting big on conversational AI, reshaping Siri to stay relevant in a world increasingly dominated by chatbots.
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