Siri-ously Delayed: Why Apple’s AI Game Plan Is Starting to Look Shaky

Apple’s artificial intelligence ambitions have hit a speed bump—and it’s a big one. The company recently admitted that major upgrades to Siri, part of its much-hyped “Apple Intelligence” push, are taking longer than expected. Some features initially promised for this year may now be delayed into 2026.

For a company known for polish and punctuality, this is new—and not in a good way.

A Step Behind In The AI Arms Race

Let’s rewind. When Apple unveiled Apple Intelligence last June, the tech world raised its eyebrows. Yes, it was an AI announcement—but compared to what Google, Microsoft, and even Amazon had already shown off, Apple’s pitch felt… late.

Fast forward to now, and things aren’t exactly improving. Apple quietly pulled down a promotional video showcasing Siri’s shiny new powers in iPhone 16. Inside the company, execs reportedly described the delay as ugly and embarrassing.

Ouch!

Promised Magic, Delivered Meh

While Apple has rolled out a few AI features—like custom emoji, Image Playground, writing suggestions, and even some ChatGPT integration—these are more fun than functional.

What’s missing? The good stuff. The wow moments. The demo where Siri could answer “When does my mom’s flight land?” by pulling data from emails, calendars, and flight apps. The vision Apple sold was a smart assistant that actually felt smart—and deeply personal.

But those features? Still on the runway.

Meanwhile, the Rest Of Big Tech Is Lapping Apple

As Apple scrambles, rivals are racing ahead:

• Amazon is revamping Alexa with generative AI, calling it “Alexa+.”

• Google just gave users the ability to link their search history to Gemini for more personalized results.

• Microsoft launched its long-awaited Recall feature for Copilot+ PCs.

And behind the scenes, the entire industry is evolving fast—thanks to innovations like reasoning models, AI agents, and research-level depth that left last year’s chatbots in the dust.

The Real Siri Problem? It's Personal.

Apple’s competitive edge was always about user privacy. But that strength is reportedly becoming a double-edged sword. Unlike rivals, Apple won’t hoover up user data to train its models. And without those massive data sets, its AI struggles to learn.

It’s a classic catch-22 — protect privacy and risk falling behind or compromise on principles to compete. Apple’s trying to thread the needle—and so far, the stitching looks shaky.

Critics Are Calling It Out

Apple’s usually rock-solid reputation has taken a hit. Tech commentator Daring Fireball's John Gruber didn’t mince words, saying that the fiasco is that Apple pitched a story that wasn’t true and they set a course based on that.

That’s not just about missed deadlines. It’s about trust—and Apple rarely fumbles that ball.

What’s Next for Apple?

Despite the setbacks, Apple’s not giving up. The company is still pushing forward with plans to:

• Rebuild Siri into a more conversational, context-aware assistant

• Expand generative AI across the Apple ecosystem, including devices like iPhones, iPads, and Macs

But progress will take time—and patience is wearing thin. With the latest iOS updates slipping, and some enhancements not expected until late 2025 or beyond, Apple has to prove that it can not only catch up but still lead.

And in this AI race, second place is starting to look a lot like last.

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