Apple WWDC 2024 Highlights: Major Siri Enhancements and Figma’s AI-Driven Design Innovations
The 2024 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) unveiled some of the most exciting advancements in AI and design technology this year. Central to the event were two standout announcements: Apple’s substantial upgrades to Siri, its voice assistant, and Figma’s pioneering integration of AI-driven features that aim to transform digital design workflows. These developments reflect a clear industry trend toward smarter, more intuitive tools that empower users and creators alike. This article explores the key enhancements to Siri and how Apple is redefining voice interactions, followed by an examination of Figma’s AI innovations, which are reshaping how designers approach creativity and collaboration in real time.
Enhanced Siri: Smarter, faster, and more context-aware
At WWDC 2024, Apple revealed significant improvements aimed at making Siri a more natural and useful assistant. The updated Siri benefits from advanced machine learning models that enable it to understand context better and handle more complex requests without repeated prompts.
For example, Siri can now maintain conversational context over multiple questions, which means users can engage in more fluid and natural dialogues. Instead of having to repeat details, Siri references previous user inputs, making interactions feel less robotic and more human.
Practical case: Imagine a user asking, “What’s the weather in New York?” followed by “How about this weekend?” In previous versions, Siri might have treated the weekend question as unrelated. Now, it understands that the weekend weather refers to New York, providing an accurate forecast without further clarification.
Personalized assistant with on-device intelligence
One of the most lauded features is Siri’s increased use of on-device processing. This means more privacy, quicker response times, and reduced dependence on cloud servers. By analyzing data locally, Siri can offer personalized experiences while keeping sensitive information secure.
Developers can now integrate their apps more deeply with Siri, crafting customized voice commands tailored to their user base. This opens new opportunities for businesses to enhance user engagement through voice-driven interfaces.
Real-world scenario: A fitness app developer integrates Siri shortcuts that allow users to start a workout, log meals, or check progress simply by speaking. With on-device processing, these interactions happen instantly without compromising user data.
Figma’s AI-driven design innovations: speeding up creativity
Parallel to Apple’s work on Siri, Figma announced groundbreaking AI features designed to revolutionize how designers create and collaborate. These AI tools assist with tasks such as generating layouts, suggesting color schemes, and even creating design elements based on simple prompts.
By automating repetitive design work, Figma allows designers to focus on ideation and refining creativity. The integration of AI also enhances collaboration by proposing design variations in real time, making iterative feedback cycles faster and more dynamic.
Case study: A design team working on a mobile app UI uses Figma’s AI to generate multiple homepage concepts from a brief text description. They quickly compare versions, select the best elements, and adjust details collaboratively, reducing project turnaround time by 30%.
Bringing AI and voice tech together for future workflows
The convergence of Apple’s voice advancements and Figma’s AI-driven design tools hints at a future where voice commands and intelligent automation could fuse seamlessly in creative workflows. Designers might soon instruct AI-powered tools verbally to generate assets, adjust layouts, or even prototype interactions, streamlining the user experience end to end.
Such integration could transform how teams work remotely or multitask, allowing for faster decision-making and more expressive design processes without heavy reliance on manual input devices.
Example scenario: During a remote brainstorming session, a product manager uses voice commands to adjust a prototype in Figma while discussing user feedback. The AI understands and applies changes instantly, enhancing collaboration without breaking the conversational flow.
| Feature | Apple Siri 2024 | Figma AI 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Core enhancement | Context-aware voice assistant with improved on-device AI | Automated design generation and collaboration tools |
| Privacy | Local processing for enhanced data security | Cloud-based AI with secure sharing options |
| User benefit | More natural interactions and faster responses | Faster design iterations and less repetitive work |
| Integration possibilities | Deeper app integrations via custom voice commands | Real-time collaboration with AI suggestions |
Conclusion: A new era for AI-assisted interaction and design
WWDC 2024 showcased how Apple is pushing the boundaries of voice assistant technology with Siri’s smarter, more context-aware capabilities powered by on-device AI. These improvements not only deliver more personalized and private interactions but also expand integration possibilities for developers, enhancing entire app ecosystems. Meanwhile, Figma’s AI-driven design innovations demonstrate the profound impact of intelligent tools on creative workflows, enabling faster, more collaborative, and more inspired design processes.
Both Apple and Figma highlight a future where AI not only augments user experiences but also reshapes the way we work and create. As these technologies evolve, we can expect increasingly seamless interactions—blending voice commands and AI-powered automation—to boost productivity across diverse fields from app development to design. The 2024 WWDC announcements mark a significant step forward, pointing toward a more intuitive, efficient, and creative digital landscape.