Apple AI crisis? Top exec admits ‘Ugly and Embarrassing’ Siri delays – Here’s what happened

Apple is facing internal discontent and industry criticism following significant delays to key features for its Siri virtual assistant. A senior executive has admitted that the setbacks have been “ugly and embarrassing,” admitting the company’s ongoing difficulties in artificial intelligence (AI).

During an all-hands meeting for the Siri division, Robby Walker, Apple’s senior director overseeing the assistant, acknowledged the team’s frustration and disappointment. He attributed the problems to Apple’s premature decision to publicly promote features that were not yet fully developed. The company had initially intended to launch enhancements to Siri this spring, but these are now expected to be delayed until at least next year.

Walker’s remarks highlight Apple’s wider struggles in AI, particularly as competitors such as Google and OpenAI continue to advance their own virtual assistants. Siri has long been criticised for lagging behind rival AI systems, and Apple’s efforts to modernise it have faced multiple setbacks. The latest delays follow reports of engineering issues and persistent software bugs.

Apple had initially planned to introduce new AI-powered capabilities to Siri as part of its iOS 18.5 update, before postponing their release to iOS 19 in 2025. However, Walker cast doubt on whether even this deadline would be met, stressing that trade-offs would need to be made due to competing company priorities.

He also admitted that the decision to unveil the new features before they were ready had exacerbated the situation. “This was not one of these situations where we get to show people our plan after it’s done,” Walker told employees. “We showed people before.”

Apple had marketed the updates as a major selling point for the upcoming iPhone 16, despite the technology being in an incomplete state. The decision to push forward with promotion was reportedly influenced by Apple’s marketing department, further compounding internal tensions.

The company’s AI shortcomings have coincided with a turbulent period for its stock performance. Apple shares had fallen by 16 per cent this year, though they saw a modest rebound on Friday. The delays have also led to increased scrutiny of the company’s broader AI ambitions, particularly its Apple Intelligence initiative, which aims to enhance AI-powered services across its product ecosystem.

Walker defended his team’s efforts, highlighting the progress made despite the setbacks. He demonstrated some of the new features in development, including the ability for Siri to retrieve personal information, control applications more effectively, and analyse on-screen content. However, he conceded that the technology was currently only reliable 66-80 per cent of the time, below Apple’s quality threshold.

The company is not expected to make immediate leadership changes in response to the AI challenges, though internal restructuring discussions are reportedly underway. Longtime Apple executive Kim Vorrath has been brought in to support the turnaround effort, and more senior figures could be placed under John Giannandrea, Apple’s head of AI.

While some staff members may feel relief that the flawed features will not be rushed to market, others are reportedly experiencing burnout and frustration. Walker acknowledged these concerns, stating that employees would be allowed time to recover ahead of the intensive work required in the coming months.

“There’s much we will be keeping, and there are meaningful things we will be changing,” Walker said, suggesting that Apple will need to rethink its approach to ensure future AI developments are delivered on schedule and meet consumer expectations.

(With inputs from Bloomberg)