Apple is planning to introduce a new Core AI framework at the WWDC2026 Developer Conference, aiming to replace the existing Core ML. This marks a comprehensive shift in its edge-side AI strategy from traditional machine learning to generative artificial intelligence. According to related leaks, although the two frameworks may coexist initially, Core AI will serve as the core technology foundation, taking on the responsibility of integrating third-party AI models and Apple Foundation models.
Looking back at previous technical paths, the Core ML update released at WWDC2025 has already achieved efficient migration of large language models and diffusion models onto Apple chips through more refined weight compression techniques. The upcoming Core AI will go even further, expected to deeply integrate a new Apple foundation model trained by Gemini and empower the next-generation Siri with chatbot-like functions. Notably, developers will be able to directly call device-side AI processing capabilities within apps to generate text and complex results through OS26 and subsequent versions.
Industry analysts believe that the launch of Core AI is not just a simple brand renaming but a strategic defense and counterattack by Apple against the global generative AI trend. By introducing potential technical solutions such as the Model Context Protocol (MCP), Apple is trying to build a more open and efficient edge-side AI ecosystem. This shift indicates that Apple is no longer limited to maintaining the underlying framework but is accelerating the transformation of generative AI into a consumer-level experience through system-level integration.
