Apple hints that Siri AI will introduce paywall restrictions; heavy users may need to subscribe to iCloud+

At the last earnings call during Tim Cook’s tenure as Apple CEO, artificial intelligence became the main focus for investors. For the first time, Apple has publicly hinted that Siri AI could adopt a paid model in the future, with high-frequency Siri AI users potentially needing to subscribe to iCloud+ services. Apple plans to set usage limits on free access to Siri AI, allowing regular users to access it for free within those limits, while heavy users exceeding the limits may need to purchase an iCloud+ package. In addition to Siri AI, the “Clean” and “Expand” functions in the iOS 27 Photos app and the redesigned “Image Playground” app will also have usage restrictions. iOS 27 with Siri AI is expected to launch later this year, supporting iPhone 15 Pro and subsequent models. Due to regulatory reasons, Siri AI will not be available in Europe and mainland China in the short term. As the computing cost of AI features continues to rise, Apple is exploring new paths to commercialize its AI capabilities through subscription services.

Article author, Source: AIBase

At the final earnings call during Tim Cook’s tenure as Apple CEO, artificial intelligence became the center of attention for investors. Addressing market concerns about whether Siri AI can drive demand for iPhone upgrades and the cost pressures from AI infrastructure investment, Apple’s management responded and, for the first time, publicly hinted that Siri AI might adopt a paid model in the future.

Cook stated that the financial impact of Siri AI is still uncertain but revealed that high-frequency Siri AI users may, in the future, need to subscribe to iCloud+ service. While Apple has previously promoted Siri AI as a free feature within iPhone, iPad, and Mac systems, it relies on cloud computing resources, including Apple’s own cloud services and third-party cloud infrastructure. Running large language model queries continuously incurs additional costs.

According to the introduction, Apple plans to set a certain usage cap for free access to Siri AI, allowing regular users to use it for free within the limit, while heavy users who exceed the cap may need to purchase an iCloud+ package. Apple has not yet announced the specific number of uses or cap standards, and the final charging mechanism remains to be confirmed.

In addition to Siri AI, Apple has previously revealed that some Apple Intelligence features will adopt a tiered usage strategy. For instance, the "Clean" and "Expand" functions in the iOS 27 Photos app, as well as the redesigned "Image Playground" app, will have usage restrictions. iCloud+ subscribers will receive higher quotas. Furthermore, the AI video recording feature in the Home app requires a 2TB iCloud package, and the newly added Cloud Pro model in the Shortcuts app is only available to higher-tier iCloud+ users.

iOS 27 equipped with Siri AI is expected to launch later this year, supporting devices including iPhone 15 Pro and later models, as well as Mac devices that support Apple Intelligence. Due to regulatory reasons, Siri AI will not launch in Europe and mainland China in the short term. As the computing cost of AI features keeps rising, Apple is exploring new ways to commercialize its AI capabilities through subscription services.