Internal Struggles and Market Pressures Mount as Apple’s Siri Faces Delays and Performance Issues
Published: March 15, 2025
Location: New Delhi, India
In a recent internal meeting, Apple’s senior director overseeing Siri, Robby Walker, candidly addressed the company’s struggles with advancing its virtual assistant. He described the delays in implementing key artificial intelligence (AI) features as “ugly” and “embarrassing,” shedding light on the internal challenges Apple faces in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Performance Shortcomings and Marketing Missteps
The crux of the issue lies in Siri’s inconsistent performance. Walker revealed that the new AI functionalities were operational only “two-thirds to 80% of the time,” a reliability rate deemed insufficient for public release.
Despite these shortcomings, Apple’s marketing department proceeded to promote these enhancements, leading to a situation where features were publicized before they were fully functional. This premature promotion exacerbated the situation, culminating in the removal of an iPhone 16 advertisement from YouTube that highlighted these unready features.
Impact on Apple’s Market Position
The result of these delays extend beyond internal challenges, affecting Apple’s standing in the competitive AI market. Once a pioneer with the introduction of Siri in 2011, Apple now finds itself lagging behind competitors like Google and Amazon, who have made significant strides in AI voice assistants.
This lag has not gone unnoticed by investors; analysts have adjusted their projections for iPhone sales, citing the absence of compelling AI enhancements as a contributing factor.
Internal Response and Future Outlook
Acknowledging the team’s frustration, Walker empathized with employees feeling “angry, disappointed, burned out, and embarrassed” due to the postponements. He praised their efforts as “incredibly impressive” and reaffirmed Apple’s commitment to eventually “ship the world’s greatest virtual assistant.”
In response to these challenges, Apple is making strategic adjustments. The company is restructuring its AI division, bringing more senior executives under AI head John Giannandrea and enlisting veteran executive Kim Vorrath to revitalize its AI initiatives.
Conclusion
Apple’s candid acknowledgment of Siri’s shortcomings underscores the complexities inherent in developing advanced AI systems. As the company navigates these challenges, its ability to adapt and innovate will be crucial in maintaining its competitive edge in the technology sector.
www.linkedin.com/news/story/apple-exec-slams-ai-delays-to-siri-6348612/
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