Apple is preparing a major shift in the car, moving from a Siri-only world to one where drivers can talk to AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini directly through CarPlay. The company is working on system-level support that would let third-party assistants plug into its dashboard software, turning the infotainment screen into a front end for competing AI brains. If it lands as described, the change would recast CarPlay from a closed extension of the iPhone into a more open, AI-centric platform.
Instead of juggling phones, widgets, and workarounds, drivers could soon summon their preferred chatbot with a voice command and have it handle everything from messages to meal planning while they sit in traffic. For Apple, the move is both a concession to user demand and a strategic bet that it can host powerful AI services in the car without giving up control of the overall experience.
The plan to bring outside chatbots into CarPlay
At the core of the shift is a plan by Apple Inc to let external, voice-controlled AI apps run inside CarPlay as first-class citizens rather than hacks layered on top. Reporting on internal work describes Apple Inc preparing system hooks so that apps like ChatGPT and other assistants can be launched, listened to, and responded to entirely through the CarPlay interface, instead of requiring drivers to handle their phones. That work is detailed in Takeaways by Bloomberg AI, which frame the effort as a significant opening of Apple’s popular vehicle infotainment software.
The same direction is echoed in other accounts that say Apple is working to make CarPlay compatible with AI chatbots like ChatGPT, with the project surfacing in coverage by Apple watchers who cite anonymous sources. One report credits Kirsten Korosec with detailing how Apple is building the plumbing so that CarPlay can talk to these services while still respecting the company’s own privacy and safety rules, noting that she filed her piece on a Fri at 11:53 PM UTC. Together, these reports sketch a picture of Apple loosening its grip just enough to let powerful AI partners into the cabin while still owning the frame.
How drivers will summon ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini
From a driver’s perspective, the most important detail is how natural it will feel to talk to these new assistants. Accounts of Apple’s plans describe a setup where users can trigger a third-party chatbot with a specific voice phrase, similar to how they currently call up Siri, and then carry on a conversation through the car’s microphone and speakers. One report notes that external services will be voice controlled and launched with a dedicated word so drivers can keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
Several reports say Apple intends to support specific AI brands, with CarPlay expected to Allow ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini as named options for users who want something beyond Siri. That list appears in coverage that describes how Apple will Allow Claude and Gemini alongside OpenAI’s model, and in another analysis that says Apple reportedly plans third-party AI chatbot support in CarPlay within months, with a timestamp of 10:55 PM UTC noted as PUBLISHED and an accompanying UPDATE. The expectation is that drivers will be able to pick their preferred assistant in settings, then switch between them as easily as they now swap navigation apps.
Siri stays in the driver’s seat, but not alone
Even as Apple opens the door to rivals, Siri is not being pushed out of the car. Reporting on the integration makes clear that the new AI apps can be voice-controlled but cannot replace Siri as the system-level assistant. One account, attributed to Contributing Reporter Ian Carlos Campbell, states that the apps can be voice-controlled but cannot replace Siri, even as some drivers may prefer to treat a chatbot as their in-car assistant anyway.
That balance reflects Apple’s broader strategy of hosting outside services without ceding the core user interface. Coverage that describes how Apple Is Opening CarPlay To AI Chatbots Beyond Siri underscores that Siri will remain the default for system tasks, while third-party bots will live inside their own apps and tiles. One analysis framed the move as Apple Is Opening CarPlay To AI Chatbots Beyond Siri, with the line attributed to Apple Is Opening and AI Chatbots Beyond, and credited By Business Today Editor, who also noted that the company declined to comment. It is a classic Apple compromise, keeping the system’s soul in-house while acknowledging that some conversations are better handled by more advanced models.
Why Apple is loosening its grip on the dashboard
Apple’s move is not happening in a vacuum, it is a response to pressure from drivers who increasingly expect the same AI tools in their cars that they use on their phones and laptops. One report explicitly ties the shift to driver demand, saying that Apple plans to allow other companies’ voice-controlled AI chatbots to operate in CarPlay after hearing from users who wanted more capable assistants on the road. That analysis, tagged By PYMNTS February, describes Apple opening CarPlay to AI rivals following driver demand and notes that the company did not respond to a request for comment.
Another thread in the reporting highlights how Apple Inc is trying to keep CarPlay central as automakers and tech rivals race to control the in-car experience. The Takeaways by Bloomberg AI piece notes that Apple Inc is preparing to allow outside voice-controlled AI chatbots in its popular vehicle infotainment software, a move that helps keep CarPlay attractive to automakers that might otherwise lean more heavily on their own embedded systems. In that sense, Apple is trading a bit of exclusivity for continued relevance as AI becomes a must-have feature in any modern cockpit.
From unofficial workarounds to native support
Drivers have already been experimenting with ways to bring ChatGPT into the car, even before Apple’s official support. A viral example showed ChatGPT inside your car using the new iOS 26 widget update for Apple CarPlay, with a clip explaining how the widget could handle directions, reminders, jokes, or trip planning. The post, shared by a creator who highlighted how ChatGPT could sit alongside Apple apps, framed it as a way to turn your car into a smarter companion. Another version of the same clip, shared at 4:18 AM, repeated the idea that ChatGPT inside your car using the new iOS 26 widget update for Apple CarPlay could make everyday driving more efficient, with the caption starting with 4:18 AM and emphasizing that Whether it is directions, reminders, jokes, or trip planning, the widget could help.
Apple’s upcoming changes effectively turn those unofficial tricks into supported features. Reports say CarPlay could soon support third-party AI voice assistants like ChatGPT, with Amber Neely writing that the current Siri-only setup has been less than ideal for some drivers. Her piece, timestamped Fri Feb 06 2026, 03:26 PM EST, describes how native support would let these assistants integrate more deeply with the car’s audio and controls. Another analysis on the same theme notes that CarPlay could soon support third-party AI voice assistants like ChatGPT, crediting Amber Neely for flagging how the current experience has been less than ideal. The move from widgets to full integration is not just a technical upgrade, it is Apple acknowledging that the most interesting AI in the car may not always be its own.
