Apple reportedly plans to bring AI chatbots to CarPlay

Apple is reportedly working on how to support third-party artificial intelligence chatbot applications within its CarPlay platform, according to a report from Bloomberg. The report, which cites anonymous sources, indicates that the development would theoretically allow drivers to access external AI services—including Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT—directly through their vehicle’s infotainment system, which is defined as the vehicle’s information and entertainment display.

Currently, Apple CarPlay operates as an application that runs on a user’s iPhone and wirelessly communicates with the vehicle’s infotainment system. This setup projects a selection of the applications found on the user’s phone directly onto the vehicle’s infotainment display. Drivers are then able to interact with these projected applications, which include Apple Music, messaging, and navigation services, primarily through Apple’s native voice assistant, Siri.

The potential integration of third-party chatbots could significantly alter this user experience. By allowing external conversational applications into the vehicle, the move would theoretically put Apple’s own Siri assistant in a secondary position, shifting how drivers interact with voice-based AI while on the road. Instead of relying solely on Siri to handle voice commands and queries, drivers would have the option to communicate with alternative AI models. This represents a potential shift in the role of Siri, which has historically been the exclusive voice interface for CarPlay applications.

This development would expand the capabilities of both the standard CarPlay software and CarPlay Ultra, Apple’s next-generation CarPlay system. While the standard version of CarPlay projects applications onto a central console screen, CarPlay Ultra goes a step further. It integrates directly with the vehicle’s touchscreen displays and the digital dashboard located right in front of the driver, giving users direct control over certain vehicle settings. Introducing third-party chatbot compatibility across these systems would allow drivers to choose alternative AI assistants for their in-car queries and tasks, representing a notable shift in how Apple manages its automotive software ecosystem.

Why it matters

Apple’s potential move to open CarPlay to third-party AI chatbots signals a shift in how the company manages its ecosystem, potentially relegating its own Siri assistant to a secondary role in favor of third-party AI models.