Apple might be falling behind its competitors in the current AI race. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple’s AI shortcomings have been exposed following the unveiling of Amazon’s latest Alexa+.
Apple’s AI-infused version of Siri was unveiled in June 2024. While it promised to tap into personal data for more precise responses, better control over apps and features, the tech giant is yet to deliver a fully functional prototype. People who work in Apple’s AI department reportedly believe that the company won’t release a “true modernized, conversational version of Siri until iOS 20 at best in 2027.”
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According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is expected to roll out an LLM-powered Siri upgrade in iOS 18.5, but this will work as its own separate model from the old Siri, a system that “doesn’t work as smoothly as it could.”
The modernized Siri would merge the two into a new architecture that can handle both simple requests like setting timers, and the advanced AI-powered abilities Apple showed off last year, like carrying out tasks across apps using context like personal details and what’s on your screen. Apple planned to introduce this combined Siri architecture in iOS 19.4, but it’s “running behind” and “won’t be unveiled in June” of this year.
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Apple Intelligence, Apple’s suit of broader AI features, has been rolling out since October 2024. However, those features have been deemed non-essential at the best, with some features deemed “practically useless.” The company’s attempts to integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT to its software has also received mixed responses, with some claiming it “felt like an afterthought.”Apple also has plans to integrate Google Gemini to its software.
Apple’s inability to keep up with its competitors when it comes to AI can prove to be troublesome considering the growing relevance of AI in the tech world. Tech companies like xAI and Anthropic have recently released new AI models, and competition over AI has ramped up since Chinese startup DeepSeek disrupted the industry by releasing its cost-effective new AI model, which Apple CEO Tim Cook has praised previously.