Apple Prepares to Open CarPlay to Third-Party AI Voice Apps
Apple is preparing a major change to its in-car infotainment system, CarPlay, by allowing third-party voice-controlled artificial intelligence (AI) apps for the first time. The development was reported by Reuters, citing a Bloomberg News report.
Until now, CarPlay has supported only Apple’s own voice assistant, Siri. Under the new move, users will be able to interact with AI chatbots developed by other companies directly through their car’s display. Analysts say this signals a significant strategic shift from Apple’s long-standing policy of maintaining a tightly controlled platform.
According to the report, AI applications from companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google will be able to introduce CarPlay-specific versions of their apps with built-in voice control features. However, Apple is not removing Siri entirely. The Siri button and wake word in CarPlay will remain unchanged, meaning users will need to manually open a third-party AI app to activate its voice functionality.
Apple may begin rolling out support for these apps in CarPlay within the next month. This would allow developers to design apps that automatically switch to voice mode as soon as they are opened. Apple, however, has declined to comment officially on the matter.
DBTech/BMT/OR
